I’d like to make several small wood arches as follows:
Size: 48″ across the bottom between legs, height 22″ more or less. “Elevation view” roughly semi-circular, like one of McDonald’s only flatter. Cross-section of material 1.5″ square. Use: support poly plastic film over raised garden beds, so would be subjected to extremes of heat and humidity.
(I know most gardeners would use PVC tubing for this purpose but I want to secure the plastic film to the arch with metal fasteners, like staples or nails.)
My initial thinking is to rip cedar 2x4s into 1.5″x1/8″ lath and glue-laminate these around a form. I’ve also thought about trying to get some scrap plywood veneer to laminate. But I wonder if anybody has a different and better idea.
Replies
If you can find some small saplings, cut them to length, over bend them a little and tie with string or nail to a stick. When they dry out they will hold their shape. This time of year the bark can be peeled easily if it suits you.
willow would be a good one for this too...
make two arches... one for under the plastic and one to go over the plastic.. like a sammich..
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You must have a reason for wanting to laminate cedar, I just can't figure out what it would be other than appearance. Your technique is going to require forms to mold around, lots and lots of clamps, glue, and lots and lots of time.
The sapling idea is good. But there's a reason that gardeners use PVC and screws, it's the KISS principle. "Keep It Simple Stupid" Works every time for me.
Cherron
I dont know about the bending of saplings but you could swing that arc with a router in pretty fast time.
You dont have to do the glue-up laminate if you dont want. Make a template out of MDF and then just stack it on top of cypress or cedar and using a flush trim bit cut the arc's out.
Doug
This sapling idea is excellent, thanks very much.
Now another question: I'm sure you've got the idea that I want to make a small "Quonset" hut skinned with poly film. The arches I've been talking about support the structure and also provide something to secure the poly. The object here is to have both the curved "roof" and the vertical "gable ends" made of flat stretched poly film.
If I could figure out a way to seal the poly film in a curved arc to fit over the arches I could go back to the PVC arch suggested by Chauncey.
I've tried this with some green poly-repair tape I got from Lee Valley but it's a little messy in appearance and I'm not sure how long it will last. Some smaller experiments with this tape aren't promising.
I wonder about heat-sealing, or gluing, or some other method of sticking poly film together. This stuff is so handy, and it would be WAY better if there was a way to put it together as well as cut it.
These are by default temporary structures. The arches, of whatever material, will be reusable but the best you can hope for out of the poly is a couple of years. You will need to be able to vent on sunny days so don't get crazy custom-forming & sealing the ends. Unless you're in some funky cold place you'll just be using this to get things started, then remove the cover as soon as the plants have established themselves. Again, no reason to get too fancy, IMHO, FWIW...
Go to an auto parts store and pick up a tube of silicon gasket sealer and use it like glue. However, I don't know how it would hold in cold temperatures, might turn hard.
If you're going for strictly utilitarian, go black poly pipe...cheap, already curved from being rolled, holds screws...two pcs for ribs & battens...screw brace across the tops, like trusses...easy to change poly sheeting I need a dump truck, baby, to unload my head