Greetings and Helloooo!

I was just in the middle of a project concerning the application of Basswood sheets to a 1/16 Albatros D.Va aircraft. Since it is thin wood I thought of you scratchbuilders as a possible source for enlightening a poor cloudlubber on the magic solution or chemical mix for softening bass wood for bending over an oval / compound curve wooden framework. Though the subject is kind of

Howdy JackFlash,

I would really like to be of help, but if you would be so kind as to share some of your dimensional parameters with us, maybe we can be of assistance.
I have 'bent' wood in my fine furniture making endeavors and might be able to throw some light at the subject......

Tread.

Having worked for a Furniture Maker that Bent Wood on a Daily Basis...... the bigest piece I can remember seeing Bent was 4" x 8" by about 30" long. Of course there was the help of a 30 ton press........ Oh and it was bent in Maple.....Cherry & Oak

....Holy Mother Macree !!!....

It was for the top rail of The chair shown:
http://www.gunlocke.com/courthouseSide.html

Though I'd defer to any advice the furniture makers might give, a thorough steaming will often assist in bending wood. Just put the wood over boiling water for an hour or two and it should soften up some.

when u bend the wood spray it with a little water
and keep spraying the water on it while u bedn the wood, but dont put 2 much water or the woord will get ruined use a spary bottle

id go for the water option brouth up by tazz, that what they do to bend the wood when they make half pipe ( skateboarding)

Frank

i know this from my dad he use to build planes amd fly. them from blasa wood

a combination of heat, waters/steam and pressure is the traditional way.

Of course, perhaps two or three layers of wood veneer glued in place on top of each other while in the shape you need will also do.

or, score the back side of the wood with cuts and then bend to fit.

kglack

I have been building R/C planes for almost 19 years. I started on a 1/4 scale Fokker DVIIII some years back and I had to cut all the wood and wires myself since no kits were being offered at the time. She is 90% complete. The best method to bend basswood is to spray the wood with a mixture of 50/50 water and ammonia. The ammonia will let you bend the wood real easily. Hope this helps.