i want to build a double taper sled 6' long.
what is the best way to do this?
i guess i need to start with making a second taper sled- and then tape the two sleds ( butt end to butt end ) to the underside of the 6' piece. Then grind the sled to suit.
However, if i make the 6' sled nice and stiff, it wont be able to flex in the center to allow the deeper grind.
And I really need to make the sled stiff, considering the recent problems I had with sleds warping and flexing.
Or, should i just make 2 thin taper sleds- and glue them to the 6' sled permanently? ( thin end to thin end).
or is there a better, more obvious way that i am missing.
thanks!
i would rather make them side by side on the same sled @ 36" then splice them--
when i bought from binghams--they offered 72"
lams --and they were nice --but i now cut and grind 95% of my own stuff and find that cutting 36"stock is easier and renders more usable [straighter] stock
--good luck with your project!
I do most of em like Mike said, but on bows with a radical dip at riser, full length is nice just of hoping they don't break.
I have a couple full length 2" wide sleds . I would tack a couple tapers on a board with butts to center and grind a sled on that. Kind of a sled for a sled.
Yup, I need these lames to be full length.
Going to give it a bash today.
What taper are you considering?
I dreamed about making a full length sled for 0.006" taper, but I don't think the wood will like to be bent that much.
.002
I have one that is 2 meters long that I use for tri lam wood longbows. I jointed and planed a dry hardwood board to exact measurements, it should be thin enough so the pressure rollers can press it onto the bed of the sander. I then took two already made .015 taper lams(or whatever taper you want) and sealed all parts with a thinned varnish so it do not draw moisture. Since my sled is longer than 72 inches I put a short piece of parallel lam the same thickness as the thin ends of the lams between the lams in the middle of the sled. Then used a short haired roller and with water based contact cement glued the lams to the board with thin ends in the middle. Then glued a strip of sandpaper to the lams and just use the sled like that. If you want a fast taper the parallel piece in the middle will even the center out somehow.
Water based contact cement!!
That sounds awesome, never seen that before
Many brands of this stuff.
http://www.dap.com/dap-products-ph/weldwood-nonflammable-contact-cement/
thats awesome Bue.
i also build saddles commercially, and i have never come across that stuff.
that will be awesome for sizing and prepping damp leather for glue up.
currently its quite a process, where we have to size the piece first, then wet and form, then re glue and adhere.
this is going to be a huge help!!
many thanks :) :)
my sled is 42" long. I taper one end then switch ends and taper the other end. I NEVER join lambs in the middle. The only advantage to 36" lams I see is to save on shipping. I have no problem with splicing veneers.
James
thanks james - thats a great idea
I've done the one end at a time on a shorter sled, but it takes twice as long...... :)