Okay, so, “rubber dancing birch timber” – sounds kinda weird, right? Well, it all started when I saw this video of a guy making these flexible wooden sculptures. I was like, “Whoa, I gotta try that!”

First, I needed some wood. I didn’t want anything fancy, so I grabbed some birch plywood scraps I had lying around from another project. Birch is pretty good for bending, I figured.

The Experiment Begins

Next up, the “rubber” part. This is where it got interesting. I found out you can make wood more flexible by soaking it in a solution of, get this, fabric softener! I know, it sounds crazy, but I mixed up a batch – about one part softener to two parts water – in a big plastic tub.

Then, I plunked the wood pieces into the bath. I made sure they were totally submerged, using some weights to keep them down. Now, the waiting game. I left them to soak for a good 24 hours, figuring that would give the solution plenty of time to work its magic.

After the soak, I pulled the wood out. It felt…different. Definitely more pliable, kind of like really thick, wet cardboard. I tried bending a piece, and it worked! It didn’t snap, just curved gently. Success!

• Mix: 1 part fabric softener, 2 parts water.
• Soak: 24 hours, submerged.
• Bend: after all of that things above!

Shaping the “Dance”

Now for the “dancing” part. I had this idea to make a sort of wavy, ribbon-like sculpture. I started by carefully bending the soaked wood into the shapes I wanted, using clamps and some makeshift forms to hold everything in place. This was the tricky part, because I had to work slowly and avoid any sharp bends that might crack the wood.

Once I had the basic shape, I let it dry completely. This took another day or two. As it dried, the wood stiffened up, holding the curves I’d created. The fabric softener, apparently, also helps the wood keep its new shape.

Finally, I removed the clamps and forms. And there it was: my “rubber dancing birch timber” sculpture! It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty cool. The wood had this amazing flexibility that you wouldn’t expect, and it held the wavy shape beautifully.

So, that’s my little experiment with bending wood. It’s a fun, messy, and surprisingly easy way to create some unique shapes. Give it a try sometime!