A garden arch over the sidewalk, my first try doing a curved lamination. I learned that instead of making a form to curve around, I could mark the curve and set screws along the line to clamp to. The screws didn’t pop out of the plywood or bend when applying the clamps! But it also marred the inside surface of the arch from the screw threads - next time I would use screws again and a spacer strip on the inside so I don’t mar the final surface and have to spend a lot of time steaming and sanding it smooth. Also my first attempt at ironing dents out of wood!
The cross pieces are 3/4”x3/4” and doweled into the arches. The doweling job was not perfect - in centering or angle, but you can’t notice it at a distance. I made a jig, but it wasn’t precise enough. It would have been better if I had a bigger drill press, or made a more precise jig.
The vertical lattice I made with half-lap joints, it feels really sturdy… in one dimension. The flex in the other dimension is the weak point of this build - hence the temporary cross pieces clamped while moving it into position.
I doweled and epoxied some 1/4” threaded rod into the feet of the arch to keep them slightly off the ground and to anchor it. We’ll lift up the arch and set it in the back yard over the winter.
