How to Build Arches

How to cut and build perfect wood arches using a router.

[@chrislambert9435]

Thankyou Bob, I benefitted from this presentation . . . Chris . . . Norwich, England

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

Great, all the way from England, cool!

[@kevinobrien5630]

Hey Bob & the garage he loves so much, This was the easiest thing to build since I built a bird feeder in 8th grade wood shop! I don't know why I did not have the analytical brainpower to do this before I saw your video. When I installed an arched door inside our house a month ago as a "try it and see what happens" thing, I did it the old-fashioned way for guys who do not know much. I cut the drywall and plywood backing after I'd spent over an hour to get the perfect arch. I lied. It took me over two hours because I was being too conservative with my drywall knife after marking the arch with an unnecessarily expensive plastic arch guide. Then I had to mark the studs and cut each at its own weird angle to fit the arch. TWO DAYS later I had the studs and angled stringers to hold the arched pre-fab jamb. TWO MORE DAYS LATER I finally had the door upright in the jamb, shimmed in and I could not tell beforehand but I'd mis-measured the arch angles and had to go back and correct it! FIVE DAYS LATER I had the trim on and had my wife paint and caulk the frame. I almost said "Screw-it" and I was going to pay a carpenter to do the other five until my youngest son said, "You ever heard of KZbin Dad?" I thought it was music and videos of people doing stupid stuff. I checked KZbin and found your video. Y'know what? By creating the giant compass that I set by measuring the door's width and arch again, I used my router - still in place - to directly cut the drywall (dusty!) and plywood and slowly cut through the studs to make the arch about 1/4" depth at a time. Back and forth until I ran out of router bit. In 25 minutes I pulled down the sheet-rock and plywood and had a perfect arch with the studs cut about an inch deep. I had perfect angles so I used my reciprocating saw resting on the bottom of the router cuts to cut the entire stud. I just had to add fire-blocks to make the perfect frame and have something to which I could attach the replacement drywall. If I could have found a 5" router blade even that would have been a whiz! (Got any recommendations?) My neighbor wants to try it too now! I tilted and shimmed the jamb and attached it to the studs. I mounted the door and it was PERFECT! In two evenings after work I installed the other five arched doors in and had them trimmed out. As soon as my slave, uh, I mean wife (No offense MeToo!), paints and caulks them it will be perfect! I know this was a lot of blabbering but I had to express how great your example worked and you saved me over $1,500!! Thank you! Keep the hint coming! Kevin O'Brien Orange County, CA

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

Ha, glad it finally worked out. Just one hint. You cut the arch in place? A lot easier to do it on the ground and then place it. Yes, a long router bit helps.

[@bobbg9041]

Man I watch hours of all these guys doing stuff, if your a die hard DIYer DO it yourselfer then you can't afford to miss out on school. this is school. I did this years ago to cut out holes for sub boxes instead of using a jigsaw. its messy takes a little longer in mdf but the hole is perfect, unlike a jigsaw your always going to go off the line here and there after a few 1000 holes you learn to cut the outside of the line but its still not perfect circle but it dosn't matter anyway. These are great for doing large arches but you can use it to cut smaller holes Jasper makes a jig just for this so does milescraft, you can find them at the big box stores Lowes or homedepot. Not all arches are done this way some arc less That you do with a nail and string then cut out with a jigsaw. This old house has a demo how to do it. More than one way to skin a cat. Eager to learn if you think you know everything you only know 1/2 of it.

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

Long story but I read it all and glad I could help

[@sebastiancastaneda7418]

THANK YOU super excited about discovering your channel

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

Glad you did

[@elizabethflorez2372]

Love ❤it. Great job

[@snatson7992]

Good stuff guys!! I love it

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

Thank you, it was a fun creative project

[@mehranfreeman6192]

Awesome 👍

[@rh5971]

That is actually Proverbs 14:23, but the point is the same and it is true! Thanks for a great video. I am building arches for a church. BLESSINGS!!!

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

thanks and good luck.

[@deonklingbiel]

very nice!!!

[@powerstill3883]

Fun to watch.😄

[@elsagrace3893]

Awesome

[@travelingkaspersworld4096]

That was fun. We liked watching. What is up next on your list of things to do?

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

Repairing a wood fence and building a mid-century dining room table.

[@user-hg4ts4rq2l]

greetings - what did you use as the pivot pin? use similar system with glued up azac to make curved flat trim?

[@boxmfg]

Cool vid Sir

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

Thanks

[@canisamator7937]

I had no idea what or how you were planning to make arches until about 4:20. I've never used a router but you are a fucking genius!

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

LOL , thanks, I've always wanted to be one of those.

[@bobbg9041]

@@BobsTwoCarGarage From one Bob to another somone showed you right!

[@tedfritsch3340]

I'm looking at a home which has an arched looking log over the main windows. How would you add the look of a real log arch to that one you made? Or can it be done.

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

Sounds like you’re creating the look of a “live edge” Lots of videos out there on that.

[@bobbg9041]

First you find a spalding, tie the top bent over to the ground slowly, now this is going to take 60-70 years but the wood grain will be perfect, works great if your not in a big rush! then again I've seen some lumber at the big box store like that!

[@frente2zapatista]

Where do you buy that bendable ply

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

It is available on-line or if you want to buy locally most good hardwood/plywood/molding stores carry it. Here's a link if you want to buy on-line, www.macbeath.com/ I buy locally.

[@michaeldellorfano2168]

I love how you ended it with proverbs. I worked for a few different carpenters in my day and all the best ones were believers. I always did this finding centers and right triangle but your way def seems faster. My current boss is a non believer. He always says oh my god. I said you love evolution so much say oh my ape. He laughed. He kept crying out to god and i said if you dont believe why do you cry out to him. He said oh its just an expression... I said yeah and expression for your creator. EXPRESS YO_SELF!!! I always make him laugh. Im a carpenter a spiritual healer and a preacher. No one said it be easy....

[@jeffreyhall4946]

Thats funny. I worked in aerospace for 32 years and every believer I worked with that opened his mouth about his particular fantasy was a shit mechanic. I used to load, raise, locate and pin the center section keel beam under the 747 center wing tank. Then spend days drilling thousands of close tolerance holes. Cold working, broaching, machining etc. There was one guy who wouldn't shut up about it. He even claimed to seeing visions of Jesus on his way to work at times. One day I had heard enough about it. I asked him if he would kill for his God. Toned him down a bit. You believe what you where taught as a child, it wasn't a choice. You are either convinced or you are not. Some of us are not. I did 32 years of beautiful work. Many people flew on those giant aircraft. Maybe even you.

[@jeffreyhall4946]

No one loves evolution. Some see it for what it is. At the end of the day it doesn't matter what anyone likes or dislikes. It is backed by mountains of evidence from nearly every field of science. There have been things science got wrong, the cool part is that it corrects itself when that is discovered. It is a method, not a bias toward anything. I have plenty of religious friends. We get along great until the moment they can't help themselves and start littering their minds. I just ask questions that make them uncomfortable. So I do not have to endure hearing it. I have been to 14 different countries and there are as many Gods as there are people really. I trust you do not believe in all of those Gods. I just go one further than you. I add yours to the list. We are not different at all if you look at it that way. Have a nice day.

[@michaeldellorfano2168]

@@jeffreyhall4946 I wonder if you were always an atheist or did you used to be a believer...? I used to be a atheist but i am now a believer. Some knowledge isn't for everyone whether it be religious based or science based. Both are beliefs thats it waiting for another prophecy to be fufilled or experiment to fufill a thesis. One thing i dont understand about your response is how can something that is imaginary to you become something worth you taking about... or like something even worth spending your time energy and emotions on?

[@bobbg9041]

Nailed it!

[@bobbg9041]

@@jeffreyhall4946 May God have mercy on you.

[@1amigo550]

👍👍👍

[@malichicu]

Where do you get the wiggle wood?

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

I buy it from a hardwood/plywood place locally in so. california. Finish carpenters use it a lot. Just google, "wiggle Wood" you'll find some on-line distributors.

[@Ms.PSnazzy]

Do you sell these?

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

Nope

[@exquisitejana]

Where can I buy the wiggle wood at the best price?

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

I buy it locally from a place that specializes in hardwoods, moldings and sheet goods but you can buy it on-line places like this: >packardforestproducts.com/bending-plywood/ Its not that expensive and worth the cost. You should not that it's made to bend in one direction OR the other based on the application either with the grain or across.

[@bobbg9041]

2 car garage, doing stuff this big you need a 3 car garage.

[@michelsoares562]

Mr. Lahey from trailer park boys is doing woodworking now ???

[@BobsTwoCarGarage]

hope that's a compliment.

[@Bigchurchmusic]

Excellent but, it's Proverbs 14:23 kjv.