Thanks guys, Yes, a router is probably the better way to go. I was thinking that 3/4 inch ply was a lot to ask my router to plow through, but the multiple passes solves that problem.
Why do I need a curve that big? You have obviously forgotten that I am insane, or possibly stupid. I, with no real experience with cool wood working concepts, am going to attempt to round the corners of my deck. I chose a four foot radius as I figured that was a loose enough curve and if I can't pull it off, I can just turn it into 45 degree corners. The plan is to cut a curve 4 feet less 1.5 inches, then shorten up by 3.5 inches and cut another curve. That essentially gives me a curved 1X4. Cut two of them and glue and screw'em together and I've got a curved 2X4. This will be screwed to the underside of the last couple of joists out at the corner of the deck. I will probably attempt to rabbit the ends of those joists so that the curved 2X4 is flush with the bottoms of the joists. I will then kerf cut a couple of 1X10s, and bend them around that curve. Couple of things: There will actually be a third 1X8 that will be longer than the curve so that it will be attached to the inside curve and to the rim joists at either end. I may use 1X6s trim one to 1X4 then build the curved joist with 1X4 1X6 on the inside and 1X6 1X4 on the outside to offset the seem. Only thought of this as the 1X10s looked pretty twisted. I am not concerned on how ugly the seems or extra screws or bolts will look as I plan on hiding that by running a couple of deck boards around the rim joist to cover all the hardware. Don't even ask me about the crazy ideas I have for curving the railings. Some of it includes steel plates dadoed into the 2Xs which will bbe cut into wedges then curved off. Here is an interesting bit of geometry that I didn't pick up at first. If you imagine your quarter circle with radius 4 feet. Let's picture it as the upper right corner of the circle, from noon to 3:00 on the clock. The beam for the deck is 2 feet behind the outer edge of the deck, IE a 2 foot cantilever. The beam is then parallel to the center to 3:00 position and two feet in front of it. As you swing a radius from noon back toward 3:00 when the radius has moved back 2 feet, it has actually moved to the right 3.46 feet. So, the curved joist touches the leading edge of the beam only about 6.5 inches to the left of the outside edge of the deck. I thought it would be more. And, as the beam and post is 5.5 inches front to back, the curve leaves the post/beam a bit under 5 inches to the left of the outer most edge. Like I said, when I can't make any of this work, I'll just truncate the corners and make them flat 45s. Believe it or not, I am actually home, but working. Nope not wood working, working working. The god almighty buck rules always. GAG! -- Blue skies. Dan Rossi Carnegie Mellon University. E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: (412) 268-9081 To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following Address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
