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I'd like to make something like in this picture backrest

I'm thinking of using 1.2mm plywood doubled on each side. Is birch plywood (which seems to be quite a bit cheaper) any worse than pine? If you have any tips and suggestions as to how to achieve that kind of effect, that'd be much appreciated.

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  • Hi, welcome to StackExchange. You can't really make something like this without specialised equipment, and if not using a press with formers lots of strong clamps — perhaps two dozen g-clamps (which would be way more costly than you might imagine)! And in either case the starting point would be neither birch nor pine plywood. Based on this how do you think you want to proceed?
    – Graphus
    Feb 27, 2021 at 8:24
  • Well, it seems that in this case they made it in quite a complicated way, as the front of the backrest is actually flat. I figure that the pipe above the bend is halved, and only the back bit is formed around it. Seems that the best way to achieve that is (no matter the wood, really) start with veneer of 1.0-1.5mm, soak it for an hour first, then pre-mold while drying, then glue+mold. In my case, I'd like both front and back to be wrapped around the pipe, so I'd do front and back separate, and then glue them together. The mold won't require that many clamps if made of fewer pieces.
    – uhl
    Feb 27, 2021 at 8:29
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    I think you're underestimating the clamping pressure needed to first form something like this, and then to securely glue it. I'm assuming you'd use a white or yellow glue rather than some more specialist adhesive (like resorcinol) and PVAs all require very high clamp pressures to give the strongest bond.
    – Graphus
    Feb 27, 2021 at 8:54
  • I'm basing my conclusions on some YT videos, resorcinol seems like an overkill for my purpose (it's not a boat!). This guy uses bit.ly/2ZTS48K Titebond 3 and a few clamps. The glue is pricey, tho. More pics of the original: bit.ly/3sB5TFp
    – uhl
    Feb 27, 2021 at 9:14
  • @Graphus Do correct me if you think I'm wrong, though.
    – uhl
    Feb 27, 2021 at 9:33

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