Bending wood

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 11:18 pm

My follow up question was about wetting the wood well, then wrapping in soaked bath towels and place in an oven at 250 degrees for about 7 or 8 minutes to get the steam bending. I don't have a steamer.

Thanks everyone for all your contributions. Don't know how I'm going to clean up the gorilla glue. Sanding this oak plywood could easily go through the paper thin veneer on the plywood. So, tomorrow, will be trying the ideas to see which gives the best results. Thanks.

lightnin · Post by **lightnin** » Sun Sep 09, 2012 12:27 am

If you have the room to stow it when not using it a steam box looks easy to build.
Google making a steam box there is lot there.

I have toyed with the idea of making one but it takes up room.
Maybe if one was made from material that didn't hold moisture it could be used for
wood storage when not in use. If it was made from wood the moisture it retained may
warp wood stored in it. The only cheap material that don't retain moisture I come up
with is the PVC but I can't imagine storing much wood inside that.
I guess it will stay in the back of my mind until I really want to do some bending.

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:40 pm

Bruce, I like your idea. When I can afford to buy a steamer, I'll build a box of pine and line it with metal to minimize the vapor to the wood. But, to bend these at 17" X 17" is going to be a very different size box than what I have seen on YouTube. I'm going to keep that in the back of my mind. I'll probably use roll flashing to line the inside of the box. Thanks for the tip.

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:47 pm

How about throwing it in the bath tub with HOT WATER in it?

curtis george · Post by **curtis george** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 6:41 am

Hello everyone
How about buying bendable plywood, the stuff is not hard to find, once glued is holds its shape nicely. (No spring back, like the steamed bent stuff will do.)

Just an idea.
Good luck on the project.

C.A.G.

lightnin · Post by **lightnin** » Tue Sep 11, 2012 9:41 pm

Heating duct may work well for a steam box that wouldn't absorb moisture... need to insulate it