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Steam bending

4/1/23       
Mike

I am trying to bend a 1/4" thick, by 1-1/4" wide, with a dado cut out 1/8" plow molding created around the radii of an arch using maple.

I am assuming because maple is such a hardwood, it makes it very difficult to bend without splitting… Hence the first one I tried split in half when I got it about 3/4 of the way to the radii.

I'm going to switch to Poplar because it's a paint job and try that.

I went to rockler woodworking and hardware and a manager said their steam bending kit is it worth a darn. What are you guys using for a steam bending kit? Pictures? Links to products? Thanks .

4/1/23       #2: Steam bending ...
Dave Edgerton  Member

I would forget steam bending if its a painted job and use 3/32 laminations and glue. Just another methodology.

4/1/23       #3: Steam bending ...
Mike

Dave, plowed out a groove 3/4" wide, by 1/8" deep out of the 1/4" thick x 1-1/4" wide poplar that wraps around the 3/4". I guess i could have done a bent lamination, but I wanted this molding piece I made to wrap around the 3/4" thick MDF

I figured it would be kinda dangerous to run a 3/4x1/8 deep groove in the wood after I glued all the strips together. I ended up, soaking the molding pieces in my slop sink for an hour, put a piece of wax paper between the molding piece, and the MDF to make sure the water doesn't end up, penetrating into the MDF and exploding it. I took the clamps off after about a half hour, just to see if it was going to end up holding somewhat to the shape and obviously it sprung back a bit, but it seems like if I let it dry overnight clamped to my arch, there shouldn't be a horrible spring back that would end up cracking again when I go to glue it in place.

For future knowledge, I'm curious to see what people are using to steam bend

4/2/23       #4: Steam bending ...
Leo G Member

Wham bam thank you ma'am steamer. Needed to steam a couple pc of oak and came up with this setup with stuff I had in the shop. Steam about 1 hour per inch of thickness according to what I've read.


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4/4/23       #5: Steam bending ...
Bruce H

Hardwoods tend to steam bend well. Green or air dried wood is preferred as opposed to kiln dried. you can make a steam box out of plywood or heating duct. Just need to hold your piece kind of in the center of the pipe so the heat/stem can surround it. Thinner pieces will steam faster than thick ones. It takes a fair amount of steam to get everything hot. If you can handle the wood out of the steam box without gloves it isn't hot enough.

4/4/23       #6: Steam bending ...
Keith Newton

The best advice I can give is to go to Lee Valley and download their free booklet on steam bending. Don't skip any part of it if you want success. There are too many things that can go wrong, or intuit.

https://assets.leevalley.com/Original/10105/31161-steam-bending-instruction-booklet-c-01-e.pdf

4/11/23       #7: Steam bending ...
David R Sochar Member

Website: http://www.acornwoodworks.com

Steam bending is great for furniture parts for two reasons: the parts are not long, and they often have straight ends. It is difficult to get the same radius end to end on steam bent parts unless compression forms are made. Look up how Thonet figured it out.

I also feel the introduction of water into finished woodwork is not a good idea. Bent crest rails, hoops and other furniture parts are fine if they absorb water then can be left to dry out. Architectural molding will not behave the same.

For those reasons, I would choose cold press bending every time. Bent laminations as noted above, make the part to its finished thickness, but wide. Once off the form, size it down on the jointer and planer, rabbet in several passes that feel safe, then apply.


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