Woodworking question

[Ron Nossaman]

>I am in the process of making a new form for gluing up a laminated beam. 
>The desired shape is a simple arc. I have sliced 8) roughly 12"x48"x3/4" 
>sections out of a piece of MDO and stacked and affixed them together. I 
>drew the simple arc on the top piece and followed it with a bandsaw. I now 
>have what I thought would be a good form for gluing up my laminated arc 
>beam. Why don't the two pieces of the form draw the laminates together 
>completely and what can I do about it? I find that the laminates are tight 
>at the ends of the arc and there is a gap between the laminates in the 
>middle of the arc. Any suggestions?
>
>Greg Newell


The inside and outside cauls don't fit the laminate stack because the 
curves should be of different radii - differing by the depth of the 
laminate stack. You can either mark the smaller radius arc on the inner 
caul and re-cut the curve a little tighter like it should be, or you can 
use either the inside or outside cauls alone with a sacrificial piece of 
wood as a flexible caul on the other side of the laminate stack, and use 
lots of clamps. It depends on what you need to end up with. That are you 
building?

Ron N