Bending Wood #1: Bending Windsor Chair Parts

This video tells me it’s PRIVATE and won’t let me view it.

-- Kerry Drake, Loudon NH, http://thenickedfinger.wordpress.com/

if you click on your video and hit edit you can set it to public

-- kosta Virginia Beach, VA http://www.kostasworkshop.blogspot.com/

Not able to view it.

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

the videos are now fixed. sorry about that

-- Every cloud has a silver lining

How long was the wood in the cooker.

Did you preview the wood to determine how the grain structure would be aligned at the point of the greatest bends.

Have you ever used a strap that was held against the wood to keep the pieces from de-laminating.

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

I cooked the wood about 25 minutes in the steam. By splitting the log and working it down to managable size through splitting and riving, I have followed the grain throughout the process. So I’d say I pay particular attention to the grain structure. However I do not concern myself with face vs. edge grain in the orientation of the piece in the bending form. If I see a pin knot or a curve in the piece before bending, I put these against the form (Convex part of the wood against the form). I try to use a strap on parts with one curve, it helps alot, it reduces the need to make repairs to the piece to about 20% from 80%. Of course, us woodworkers know that key to being a good craftsman is hiding your mistakes. Thanks for the interest, I’‘ll try to post a video of the bending with a strap soon (especially since I had to get my kids to teach me how to do this video post thing :)

-- Every cloud has a silver lining

It was interesting listening to her count and seeing the video timer go for three seconds for every one she counted.

-- LAS, http://www.abettersign.com

She was counting in true seconds from her phone, but it was rushing me to follow with the real time so I made her slow down. The purpose is to bend slow, not keep real time evidently. FYI my kids have been mocking my lack of time skills as you pointed out.

-- Every cloud has a silver lining

Kenn, thanks for the video and congrats on getting help from your kids. I’d say you are most likely a very good chair builder and an exceptional father. Good teacher, too- I learned a lot.

-- Rick, Tennessee, John 3:16

Thanks for posting the video. I can see me making one of these in the future.

I see you are a Dunbar refugee. I was surprised at how slowly you do your bending. I’d have thought the time to you took to get the bow bent would have caused the arms to have cooled too much contributing to the delaminations you experienced? Just my 2 cents. I like the fact that you got your son into the bending….great dad behavior!

Oh Ken, forgot to mention I’m creating a new web page for some of the work I’ve done. It’s www.herblapp.com It’s still being developed and will get some more work when the weather finally turns cool if that ever will happen!