| Serpentine curves in wood floors |
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I used the Everbond once to glue down a gym floor. The name meant what it said. I think the EPA's motto is "If it ain't broken fix it until it is" at least it seems that way sometimes. The problem I see with the router template idea in your situation is the concrete. It will trash the router blade if it gets anywhere near it. I would gets some posterboard myself and lay it out on the floor and draw the serpentine line on the poster board. I'm talking about the heavy poster paper that comes in a variety of colors. (like they use for political campaign signs on lawns) It's stiff enough so it will retain it's shape but eazy enough to cut with sissors. You may have to tape several sheets together. To get a nice smooth line for curves I use rips I saved from a bamboo job. I can trace them for nice smooth consistant curves. You could use a yardstick as well or rip a board 1/8 inch wide and as long as you need it. Bend it around paint cans or something heavy on the floor bend it and trace it. Once you have the template made I would dry lay the boards in place and trace the template on top and cut the line with a sharp blade in my Bosch jig saw. Work away from the serpentine cut as it sounds like it is the critical demension. You may find you have to recut several boards a number of times to get the cut just right but you're only loosing a 1/4 inch for each retry. If you work to the serpentine cut you only have one shot at getting it perfect. Have I confused you more? I have a picture of one I did and trying to find it to upload it. Even tho my site is number one on Google for pictures of wood floors I still have a lot more pictures to put online. Franklyn
On Fri, 14 Jan 2005 19:29:11 -0800, "Steve said: Found your website thru a link at Hardwood Installer, and could use your help. I am a flooring installer, and though I've been at for a while, I know only the most basic technique's. I'm currently installing a job of 3/8" Bruce 3" oak, gluedown, over a concrete slab in an upscale home. There is a walkway, (for lack of a better word) of wood connecting the entry and the kitchen/dining area, also of hardwood. The customer doesn't want a straight line, she wants a serpentine curve. I have never done one. I have posted for help, and it was suggested that I route and template. Great. Don't have a clue how to go about it. What do I use for materials for the template? I have two routers, a small porter cable laminate trimmer with an offset nose, and a 1 1/2 horse plunge. I have a small top bearing bit (never used it); seems that my material for the template is going to have to be pretty thick, as there is a lot of shaft below the bearing. I'm guessing that I will not be able to cut all the way up to the walls, Is my best bet to leave the first 2 or 3 rows at each end un glued, so I can pull these out, cut them, and then glue and install? I am planning on running the floor long, and cutting after glueing it down, as it is a fairly long area, maybe 12-15 feet long. I have not yet laid that area, but I'm getting close. I have not done but a few gluedowns with these new moisture cure glues, sure miss the Everbond and Franklin 911. This new stuff is too messy, hard to spread, and is not too predictable on concrete. Hope you can help me out, I'm a picture is worth a thousand words guy. I learn best by seeing. I have all the tools I need, and have handled borders, done some diagonal fields bordered with a contrasting wood, but it was figure it out as I go. This curve has me stumped. BTW, the inlays are very cool. I would like to learn how to do those too. Steve |