Cold Molding is a process of building up a 3 dimensional curved shape with alternating diagonal layers of wood strips, that are joined together. Used principally for high end yacht hull construction, cold molding with compressed hardwoods allows for much finer detailed sculptural projects to be produced, and with fewer, thicker layers than with traditional cold molding. The cold molding process can be used to create both the form, or mold, and also to create a finsihed product with or without first constructing a form. Free-form sculptural projects are well suited to cold molding with compressed hardwood.
Examples of cold molded products that can be attempted with compressed hardwoods include curved furniture and furniture parts (i.e. chair seats), molded bathtubs and sinks, curved walls, and sculptural projects. The pictures on the right give examples of products that Pure Timber LLC is cold molding as well as a few other products that could be produced by cold molding.
Parts that are vacuum formed from plastics may also be cold molded from compressed hardwood. Picture a curved case with a shell shape layed up in solid wood, molded and then machined.
Free-form 3-D modelling is also possible with compressed hardwoods. Large art installations made up of molded hardwood becomes practical using compressed hardwoods.
The modelling process can begin by laying up a base layer of suitable sized strips of compressed hardwood. For a traditional yacht hull, 1/8" x 6" pieces of cedar in very long lengths are layed up over a mold, and placed edge to edge. Wood that is not compressed does not bend very much, so it is sawn to thin dimensions (1/8") and bent to gentle curves (boat hulls). Compressed hardwoods can be sawn to much thicker dimensions, depending on the needs of the sculptor. Typically 1/4" strips that are 3" to 6" wide and up to 8' long are layed up edge to edge. A 1/4" strip of compressed hardwood can bend to about a 1 1/4" radius, so very tight curves can be produced if required. If not required, thicker strips could be layed up. Two or more layers are used to form a "shell". The layers are placed diagonally to each other. The strips are edge glued together, and the layers are epoxied together. Various clamping methods may be used, including manual clamping and vacuum clamping.
The molded wood is usually covered with epoxy on all sides and if needed, Layers of glass or polyester cloth may be added for strength and durability. Just as a molded boat hull can survive indefinitely in harsh outdoor conditions, so can molded compressed hardwoods.
The enthusiast will require more detailed descriptions, which will be published in "Sculpture Magazine" in 2012. We also have several projects in process utilizing compressed wood in cold molding. Pictures will be published as available. Please contact Chris Mroz for further details. chris.mroz@puretimber.com .
