[MasterSplinter]

Plans to make a box for steaming. I'm going to use a large pot and lid for the steam. Is there a certain size hose needed to feed the box? I have a braided hose about 1/2 in id. Would that be ok

 

[mdntrdr]

1/2" will work fine. :smile:

 

[frankp]

I used hard rubber hosing about that size. Fit snugly inside the neck of my tea kettle so that's why I used it. Worked great for my needs so I suspect yours will be fine too.

 

[Al B Thayer]

I used a half inch line to the box from the boiler pan. Your looking for an inside temp at or around 205 to 210. After your box has reached temp, then start the time for how long you leave them in.

If the wood is kiln dried double the time. Kiln dried is more difficult to bend.

This was a easy bend and it was out of kiln dried cherry but it worked well.

Al

Nails only hold themselves.

 

[frankp]

Al, you're far too "perfectionist".:laughing: I just stuffed my "box" (duct taped box of insulation foam) with rags at one end and ran the tube inside. No thermometer, no specific times. Roughly x minutes and pull it out. If the wood's too hot to hold it's good to try...

I will say your bends on those chair slats (I'm assuming) are much more even and consistent than my bends were for my boat parts though. :yes:

 

[Al B Thayer]

Al, you're far too "perfectionist".:laughing: I just stuffed my "box" (duct taped box of insulation foam) with rags at one end and ran the tube inside. No thermometer, no specific times. Roughly x minutes and pull it out. If the wood's too hot to hold it's good to try...

I will say your bends on those chair slats (I'm assuming) are much more even and consistent than my bends were for my boat parts though. :yes:

Damn dad I'd rather been building a boat. Do tell man.

All I did was grab a scrap of 6" pipe and stuff it with foam on the ends. Shoot I thought the time was important but if it bends it bends. But I did want to make them the same and the wood was kiln dried so I was going to give it all I could to make them even.

Al

Nails only hold themselves.

 

[rrich]

Now Al, that is one brilliant idea for a bending jig. I've got some chairs coming up and I think that I'll steal your idea!

 

[MasterSplinter]

Al what type of pot are you using

 

[Al B Thayer]

Al what type of pot are you using

I just have a cheap kitchen pot you make soup in. Propped up high enough to put a propane torch under. I put a wood lid in it with a hole for the pipe. Make the box tilt so the water drains out.

Al

Nails only hold themselves.

 

[cambriahouse]

I will say your bends on those chair slats (I'm assuming) are much more even and consistent than my bends were for my boat parts though. :yes:

What boat parts did you make?

I am currently in the on-and-off process of restoring a 1962 Cruisers Inc. 16' lapstrake wooden boat. I will need to bend a whole bunch of new ribs (white oak) to replace rotted ones:

Steve

 

[frankp]

I was bending ribs for a skin on frame kayak. If I remember correctly, the bend radius was about 4 inches or so to make basically a u shaped rib. I don't have any pictures of that particular boat, though. 14 feet long, 16-17 inches wide (at the coaming), 8 inches deep, built for my then 7 year old. She just turned 18 and the boat is still alive but with some friends who have younger boys. When my younger ones get a little older I'll get the boat back.

 

[Al B Thayer]

I was bending ribs for a skin on frame kayak. If I remember correctly, the bend radius was about 4 inches or so to make basically a u shaped rib. I don't have any pictures of that particular boat, though. 14 feet long, 16-17 inches wide (at the coaming), 8 inches deep, built for my then 7 year old. She just turned 18 and the boat is still alive but with some friends who have younger boys. When my younger ones get a little older I'll get the boat back.

That's great. Something like that will get used for many years. Good deal for you Frank. Thanks for sharing.

Al

Nails only hold themselves.

 

[jsmith800]

Getting set to bend 1x4 oak so I put together this contraption based on all the stuff I read here. I'll need a meat thermometer to check temp but currently finger burning steam comes out the little hole I drilled in the end. Think its 1 hour/inch. I also need to cut down the pipe so the wood just fits. Will oak turn black when it gets wet?

 

[MasterSplinter]

From what I read oak is great for bending. Won't turn black

 

[Quickstep]

jsmith 800,

That's a really nice looking rig. Simple, short run of hose to minimize heat loss between the tea kettle and the steam box and an easy way to make the water boil. I'm curious about the tilt. Seems like it will keep the steam rising to the top. Did you put a hole in the lower end to let the water drain?

PS, I have one of these thermometers. It's cheap and seems pretty accurate.

 

[MasterSplinter]

That is a grest simple setup.

 

[Priusjames]

Another great "outside the box" solution! Thanks for the pics (everyone)

 

[jsmith800]

I just ordered the thermometer Quickstep suggested. Thank you. The small test board worked well, seemed to spring back slightly after 12 hours of cooling and drying. It'll work fine for the final bed headboard project.

I did upgrade to 6" PVC, I forgot the boards i'm cooking are 1x6.

 

[mako1]

I owned a custom furniture and cabinet shop for 14 years.Had some very nice machinery and did some steam bending.Not very often do det up a simple rig like some shown here.
I used a piece of 8" pvc with cap on the ends.You need to drill a weep hole at the bottom of the lower cap to let the water escape.You also need a small hole at the high end of the upper cap.My setip was much like Jsmith800 and worked well for limited use.
I had some square plywood bases with a vertical piece cut on the diameter of the pipe at varying heights to hold the pipe.
Had a T kettle on a coleman stove connected to the end cap with a piece of tubing onto a hose fitting epoxied to the cap on one end and to a maple friction fit turning on the kettle.
I had dowels glued horizontily thru the pipe to keep the work piece out of the water draining to the low end.
It is down and dirty and worked very good for occasional bending even in a high end shop.

 

[mako1]

Hope I'm not to long but thought I would add that you need to have your forms ready and have plenty of clamps on hand as you don't long to work the wood.