Gluing bent wood

[HanibalLecter(InnerSmile)]

If we soak hot hide glue (or just water) on to a sharply bent, small wooden piece, it will, in time, re-assume its original pre-bent shape.


One way to get around this, presumably, is to clamp the wooden piece to a form while applying glue.


However, does this cause damage? Does glue penetrating the cells of the wood in a clamped form cause intracellular damage?

[Hamish]

I can't see how it would. What practical application are you thinking of doing?

[Don W]

I'm not sure what your trying to get to. Green, wet, or heat makes wood more flexible. Once dry and normal temperature it's more Ridgid. I don't believe it matters if the moisture includes a glue, it's the moisture or lack of moisture making the change.

Different woods react differently. Some bend more readily than others. Some will want to return to their original state quicker than others. This variation can even occur within the same tree, and more so across species.