[Uncle Erik]

Wood is a tricky thing. I've done a bit of woodwork, but haven't done any steam bending. I have read up on it, though.

I'm not trying to put you off of DIY, but as a first project, this might not be something you want to tackle. Wood is fickle and does things its own way. It'll change dimensions overnight thanks to it's temperature and mositure content, crack, split, and much else you won't expect. In some ways, I like aluminum better since it is more predictable and usually does what it is supposed to.

I agree that working laminated strips around a mold is probably the best way to go with this. You could try carving a solid block, but that can give you some interesting tricks with dimensional stability. Put stress on it the wrong way and you'll get cracks and splits.

If you want to work with wood, take a shop class or sign up for a class at your local woodwork shop. It is tremendously rewarding, but you have to get an understanding of how to deal with it. You're not just cutting up a piece of plastic or metal. Wood was a living thing, each species has its ow quirks and not every species csn be handled the same way. Some woods are better for certain things than others. How the wood is initially cut (quarter or plainsawn) changes how it behaves and each species responds to finishes differently.

That might seem overwhelming, but it's fun to learn. There are countless books and other resources, too. And, like any DIY endeavor, plenty of tools to buy. I like to use power tools for rough cuts, but prefer traditional hand tools for finish work. It seems counterintuitive, but the hand tools are actually faster than using power tools.

 

[renlute]

How about approaching a local musical instrument maker, furniture maker, or other experienced woodworker and ask him to do it. Save yourself the trouble and expense of jobs that don't turn out as you hoped.

 

[TheDreamthinker]

I understand, it may really turn out to be impossible for a noob like me.
 
I think i should start of with something not as futuristic as i had in mind but rather with something more simple.
 
So do u guys think that the omega's price is justifiable?
 
 

 

[dogwan]

 
Quote:

So do u guys think that the omega's price is justifiable?
 
 

I do think it's probably realistic in light of the difficulty of production, limited demand, and overhead required for such an operation.
 
Working backwards.... $180 minus the markup, the wholesale cost is probably around $100 to the importer (MusicDirect).
Typical shop rate for custom or limited production work in a well equipped shop is $75/hr.
Whoever is making these probably did not invest in enough molds to make any more than 10-20 at a time. If they did and demand was too low they would be stuck with all the jigs sitting around not making money.
When they are in production the wood needs to be steamed (time), put in the molds and left to set up (lots of time), hands sanded (more time), and finished (cure time). Because they are veneered there will be a certain failure rate. If they got the actual labor down to between 1 to 1-1/2 hrs per item I would say they are doing pretty good.
 
All that adds up in my mind to tell me that the price probably is within reasonable business practices and no-one is getting gouged.  Although I do agree they are more expensive than the application warrants. That makes them a luxury item to me.
 
Of curious note: The MusicDirect website describes them as "Made in Germany from a single piece of wood". But when you look at the pictures they are quite obviously bent lamination's (ala plywood)
 
Just my take,
Dogwan

 

[TheDreamthinker]

Ok.
 
The limited production makes them so expensive.
 
But still if u have a look at it, it really is damn expensive, a banana-stand for 3 Dollars would do more or less the same.
It would also serve the purpose 

.
 
I suppose as a mass product it would cost 20 bucks at the audiophile-shop around the corner.
 
Yeah, i also noticed that plywood thing, in my eyes they at least use at least 5 pieces of wood....odd

 
P.S.: I didn't know that importers take 50% of the end-price as their own.

 

[dogwan]

Quote:

P.S.: I didn't know that importers take 50% of the end-price as their own.

Yeah, I agree it is expensive.
 
The mark up was just a guess on my part. Typical MU on retail clothing is 95-100%. So if MusicDirect pays the manufacturer $100 ea. and then marks it up 80% you get $180. Seems like you're being jacked, but don't forget that the retailer is carrying the risk and that is not 80% profit. That 80% has to cover rent, utilities, employee overhead, marketing, and a few other expenses I can't think of right now on the part of the retailer. My guess is that in the end the retailer is shooting for 15% or so profit.
 
BTW I'm no economist or business major. I just see this all the time in the cabinetmaking industry when I have to explain to the Jonses why the custom kitchen they want is so expensive. Especially when they go down to Ikea and see they can buy some cabinets for 1/4 the price (uninstalled) they think I'm trying to rip them off. But when you explain the realities of actually doing business and all the people involved who are also trying to make a reasonable living providing the service they want, most people start to get it. Unfortunately that's one of the side effects of Globalization of trade. It seriously affects everyone's sense of scale when some manufacturers can supply the world with huge economies of scale and have insanely low labor costs in foreign countries. In the case of the Omega stand, Germany is a major developed country with labor and production costs probably very similar to the U.S.. If they made the Omega stand in China I'm sure it would be a hell of a lot cheaper.
 
OK, I'll get off my soapbox now.

 

[dctrademe]

Hi Guys, interesting reading this thread and I just had to sign up to comment, it is actually very simple to make the omega headphone stand, you do not actually bend one piece of wood, the stand is made from 6-8 thin sheets of laminate, or plywood. Similar to how a skateboard is made, you just need to make a press similar to a skateboard press. Once you have made the press you can then make a stand for less than $5 per one.
I have tried to upload a photo of the press they use but I cannot seem to upload a photo from my computer?
It uses a hydraulic ram that pushes down on the top, then a hydraulic ram on either side to push in the sides. You can also use car jacks if you want to save money
Bowers and Wilkins use an almost identical press seen in this youtube video, pretty easy to replicate the press using mdf and car jacks

Cheers guys, hope this info helps
Darren

 

[HiGHFLYiN9]

Awesome video. Thanks for sharing. I know there are many artists out there that experiment with bent wood abstracts and installations.

https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2015...sh-spiral-and-twist-into-extraordinary-forms/

http://www.worldofthreadsfestival.com/artist_interviews/122-emily-hermant-14.html

https://drexel.edu/now/archive/2014/July/Convergence-Exhibition/

It can be very beautiful... certainly a skill worth learning if you're able.

 

[Speedskater]

An easy way is to do a DIY plywood construction. using WEST System epoxy. Here are some DIY wooden boat pictures, but they have links to other types of projects.
https://epoxyworks.com/index.php/category/boat-construction/canoe-kayak-construction/

 

[silverfishla]

I’ve made a Mandolin where you have to bend the rim around a pretty tight radii.
Method....a barbecue charcoal starter (which is a glowing hot filament like in a room heater). Placed inside a steel pipe (Home Depot) connected to a stable vice. You dampen the wood (not soaked but sprayed with water). And gently press the wood on the hot pipe that creates the steam need for the wood to bend. For something like maple, about an 1/8 inch thickness is about as thick as you can go without cracking it. You could alway double up in layers and glue together if thickness is part of the design after you’ve made appropriate bends. A mold would be good to make to keep the bends stable.