24' Nurses station (7 meters)

[Crazyraceguy]

This particular hospital has a style (aesthetic) that they maintain with new construction and remodels.
Around here, most of them do, but they change it every decade or so. I assume this is to make refreshments more obvious? or to not appear stale, after a suitable time period? Sometimes different wings or departments vary slightly, remaining cohesive, but not exactly the same.
The recuring theme with this one is Glacier White Corian counter tops and vertical woodgrain panels.
Sometimes they are solid Oak butcherblock panels, others are just laminate (HPL) The white ties them all together though.
I got the frame built on Wednesday morning and got shifted onto another project at noon. Restarted on Thursday, getting stopped again by plywood. All we have had in stock, for the last few weeks, has been this Asian Birch. It's ok for most things, as a "shop ply", but since it is technically a veneer product, the show layers are the typical extremely thin. This does not work well for kerf-bending. The outer layer has to run the opposite direction of the desired curve. It is the part being bent, while everything below it is cut through. That super thin veneer skin cannot hold the rest of the pieces together, even when kerfed shallower, since the second layer is running parallel to the bend. It just splits and falls apart.
The Radiata pine ply came in Friday morning, so the whole unit is down to final laminating.
My helper/apprentice finished what he was doing late in the afternoon, so he may get started on this Monday.
He may also get with the Solid surface guys and test-fit the top into this unit. I'll find out Tuesday morning, I guess.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Almost done, adding a few more pics.

 

[Lincoln]

Nice work, very similar to how we build counters.
We tend to use 33mm thick MR particleboard for our stud walls though. On a curved end like that, we usually clad the frame with 3 layers of 5mm bending ply, then either the finished cladding, or, if it's getting tiled we apply a couple of coats of waterproof membrane.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Nice work, very similar to how we build counters.
We tend to use 33mm thick MR particleboard for our stud walls though. On a curved end like that, we usually clad the frame with 3 layers of 5mm bending ply, then either the finished cladding, or, if it's getting tiled we apply a couple of coats of waterproof membrane.

That's really interesting Lincoln. We have always used 3/4" ply for the internal pieces. They can be run on the CNC machine very quickly and I can have the core assembled in under an hour.
Until the move, to the new shop, we always used bending ply too, but it was 2 layers of 8mm. The new shop got us that fantastic new Beam saw. That thing can do the kerfs, unattended, and very quickly.
Bending ply has its issues. It does bend easily, but not necessarily straight/square. It can sometimes want to spiral. You also have the issue of blending a straight section of wall into the curve. With the kerf ply, I can have a straight section as long as I want and start the kerfs from there. I don't miss the bending ply at all. We keep some around for doors or drawer fronts, but that doesn't happen all that often.

I really like to see the different ways people approach similar tasks. Thanks

 

[Lincoln]

Yeah, not a fan of the 8mm. The 5mm is much easier to work with, but we always make sure the frame is strong and true.
We also sometimes use a pre-kerfed 9mm MDF, which is commercially available, but the kerf lines tend to show through on the flat side.
Hardest thing about counters, in restaurants, cafes etc, is making sure to allow for all the different services required - plumbing, electrical, data and point-of-sale gear etc.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Yeah, not a fan of the 8mm. The 5mm is much easier to work with, but we always make sure the frame is strong and true.
We also sometimes use a pre-kerfed 9mm MDF, which is commercially available, but the kerf lines tend to show through on the flat side.
Hardest thing about counters, in restaurants, cafes etc, is making sure to allow for all the different services required - plumbing, electrical, data and point-of-sale gear etc.

I have never tried kerfing MDF, but I can imagine that you are quite right about it telegraphing. It doesn't really have a skin.

Yes, we always have at least 2 rows of holes in the studs, for wiring. (Line voltage and data usually)
Most of the time, plumbing comes up out of the floor, though I don't have to deal with that often.
Head walls for hospital rooms are the most involved. They can have a lot of things going on.
Beyond high and low voltage electrical, there is air and/or oxygen, maybe other gasses too, and suction.
I've also done bullet-proof for financial institutions and lead-lined for medical facilities that do radiation.

Done and broken down to ship, probably Tuesday.