Anyone have a good idea of how to build this more efficently? It’s a patch job to help a new light fixture look right for the space and was roughly 10 hrs time from start to texture and cleanup. Chances are very good that this will be duplicated again in the near future.
An old florecent fixture was taken out, a new box centered over the kitchen island and an oval created that matches the exterior dimensions of the new light fixture, which hangs down below the ceiling a few feet (not shown).
Rather than just an oval, or a square with tapered sides, it was determined that it should be both, which made construction of it somewhat of a head scratcher. I settled on ply construction so the major and minor diameters could be cut with a jig saw and serve as a guide for smoothing the ends with a large trowel.
Then 2″ filler pieces were stapled into place, the works was lifted into place and screwed to the existing framing. Sheetrock nailers were added and the edges were filled with rock.
The result looks great and next week when it’s painted and sparky gets over to hang the fixture I’ll get a finished pic.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn’t rule the world.
Edited 6/21/2007 11:49 pm ET by IdahoDon
Edited 6/22/2007 11:25 am ET by IdahoDon
Replies
I should have been more specific on my dilema. The process of cutting the ply arches for the ends goes quickly, but instead of the 40 or so 2" ply connectors that get mudded and taped over, it seems there should be another method to cover the curved/beveled ends that doesn't require as much time consuming taping.
Heck there is probably a specialty manufacturer of sheetrock recesses with tons of generic shapes that could be cut/modified to different shapes?
The thought occured to me that perhaps even a fiberglass tub or other fixture could be cut down and used as the foundation for the shape. Architectural foam shapes?
I have a house plant pot that would be a perfect size and shape so maybe a quick fiberglass mold made around the exterior of the pot? Sounds like 3 hours work and a 24 hour wait just to get the rough mold.
Skimming the 2" slats with hotmud goes somewhat quickly since the ply curves guide the trowel so I'd even benefit a great deal from some sort of "taping" paper that could be applied in large sheets to the surface. There's a couple hundred feet of tape in that recess, none of it more than a few feet long.
Maybe super thin ply would bend around the ends (large radius 17" and small radius of 8") and could be laminated to eliminate any taping. Still I can imagine finding the right pattern and cutting/triming eating up a huge amount of time.
I also saw a furniture maker use multiple laminations of precut plywood to get unique freeform shapes in his furniture. The thought occured to me that this recess could have been made with 8 layers of 1-1/8" ply strips, say 3" wide, and the whole thing could have been glued together so no taping other than at the seams with existing sheetrock. Time could be saved with no taping, but more time would be needed to cut and sand the works prior to a skim coat to even things out. Still, the end grain of ply often moves enough to create cracks in paint, so perhaps this would still need to be taped.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Your finished work looks great.
If you're trying to cut down on the taping and mudding this might work.
You went thru all that trouble to make the first one so nice, maybe you can use it to your advantage.
Make a paper template of the compound curved end with some of the straight sides included. Try pleating the paper and lots of masking tape.
Get some 1/4" sheetrock bending board, lay the template on it and cut out two pieces for each end. Two 1/4" layers to mate up with the 1/2" rock on the sides.
Not sure the rock will co-operate, but I'd give it a shot.
If it works it'll eliminate alot of taping.
You could use the same template on some 1/4" plywood wiggle board. Two layers of that could replace all those strips and give you a continuous surface to work the rock onto.
Just a thought...buic
If you have one in your area an architectural foam fabricator can quickly hot wire a shape which you can then take to a fiberglass fabricator who can coat it and shoot it with his chop gun, including attachment points. Or just let the glass fab shop do the whole thing.
I know that's a simplified description but you'd end up with a mini bathtub you turn upside down, cut a hole for the fixture, attach to the ceiling framing and finish the rest of the ceiling to it.
which you can then take to a fiberglass fabricator who can coat it and shoot it with his chop gun, including attachment points.
I hadn't thought of foam and hotwire, but that would be quick and easy to cover. I did a little foam and fiberglass work and have the parts for a hotwire.
To tell you the truth I can think of a lot of small radiused recesses that could be carved/hot wired from foam and covered with fiberglass rather easily.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Thanks, the pic looks good from a distance anyway. This was actually taken prior to the final skim coat and texture. The flat plane of the ceiling was retextured with a knockdown to match existing as was the flat above the light fixture with the sides left a semi-smooth.
Wiggle board didn't even enter my mind, but I'm sure it would make the radius.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Bendable plywood, usually called wiggle wood is about 1/4" thick and would make this curve in one piece. Then they make 1/4" sheetrock which is made for this purpose. If the curve is too tight just wet it enough to make the bend. When it dries you will have to tape and spackle lightly to finish. You won't find these materials at Lowes or Home Depot, but they are readily available at a sheetrock supplier and most large lumberyards.
If you expect to make more of these in the same shape/size, look for a drafting book that goes into "pattern development". What you basically made is a truncated cone, sliced at the center, added sides and a flat top to it. The shape is laid out on paper in two dimensions and by extending the cone, attaching the sides and breaking it into many separate sections, you can create a pattern for the whole thing in one piece, if you want. Something that large would be difficult to do with one piece but you could use the pattern to make plywood nailers which, bent and glued in the right shape and attached to the sides, would keep you from having to use all of the strips. Think of the whole shape in terms of it being sectioned four times. You have the top, bottom and two intermediate sections, which are all similar (in the mathematical sense) and if you cut the ends separately from the sides, they can be attached later. If you have a bandsaw, you could make a form, using 2x4, joined to make a curve and marked for the radius at the top, bottom and middle. The angle of the inside cuts will be whatever you decide to use for that insert. Attach nailers to the outside, evenly spaced and use thin drywall, wetted so it bends easier. Nail or screw in place and trim with a recip saw.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Did you ever see the Video "Outside in" , where thru computer grafx they show how to turn a sphere inside out, with out puncturing the surface?
I lent the VHS out and never got it back...damm neat vid. Bogus of course, but neat none the less. You reference to the truncated cone sliced reminded me of that for some reason.
A goggleing I will go...............
http://www.geom.uiuc.edu/graphics/pix/Video_Productions/Outside_In/
AHAA..here....
View Image
Edited 6/24/2007 4:39 pm ET by Sphere
Edited 6/24/2007 4:41 pm ET by Sphere
It looks like a box of chocolates. Or something. I'll have to look for the video.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Very nice job!
CHECK OUT THIS LINK IT MIGHT HELP
http://WWW.FLEXC.COM