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What to steam wood with?

7K views 19 replies 18 participants last post by  benchbuilder 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hello.

I am trying to find a way to produce the steam for wood bending. Could you guys help me out and let me know the different ways you can produce the steam for a steam box? I am wanting something that doesn't take up loads of space and doesn't cost a lot of money either.
 
#3 ·
Used professional wallpaper steamers work fantastic and are safe. I got mine on ebay for $175 (almost new). They usually run $200-300. I got lucky on mine and caught a better than usual deal.
 
#6 ·
Norm abrams has good example on an episode that he made a bentwood hat rack. Not sure of the episode name or number but I will try look it up when I get home.
It used a brand new gas can on top of a burner and some radiator hose and a large PVC tube with a cap on it.
 
#8 ·
#9 ·
For my yew Windsor chair, I used a domestic wallpaper stripper connected to a length of rainwater pipe. The plastic pipe did go a bit limp! However, supported on a length of timber, all was well.

 
#10 ·
I'm with A1Jim - - -though it is hard to find a METAL electric kettle anymore.
Most are plastic with a thermal cutout, that shuts off at the most inopportune times…..

Check out the salvation army/DAV thrift stores see if you can find one of the old 1950-1970 era ones
 
#11 ·
I echo Scot's wallpaper steamer idea. Although I use a Wagner steamer from Lowes. It's cheaper. It depends on the volume and duration of steam you need. I have a 6" ABS tube, 4 ft long I use for relatively small pieces. The steamer lasts for about 45 minutes if started full.
 
#12 ·
basicly you collect some water before you boil the water and use the steam from it …. LOL

okay joke aside :)

the cheapest is to steal ….eeergh borrow moms stealkettle and leed the steam into
a steam bed made of wood and 1-1½ meter of cobbertube with holes and an endcap

there is several on L J that has made one and posted them as projects

you can use one of the modern kettles if you shortcut the thermo cuout
but then you have to be very carefull not to let it boiling dry….. you don´t want a fire
now your water is steam … lol

good luck with your steam project

Dennis
 
#13 ·
I used to use an oil fired pressure washer modified to dramatically reduce the water going through but I was steaming much larger things than I suspect you are.
One thing to think about if you are steaming many or thick pieces, is that hotter steam created under pressure will get the job done more quickly. I'm not sure exactly what the temperatures were that we used to run but 225 to 230 degrees sounds about right. We went by the appearance of the steam more than the temperature. You want it about ten degrees lower than the point where it becomes clear. That is if it's nice and white, it's not too hot.
Inch and a half Oak will be bendable in about half the time it would take at non-pressure temps.
 
#16 ·
I recall seeing a "rig" that used a large pot that the branch of a 12" 24 gauge tee was inserted into the pot. Then equal lengths of the same sized pipe wher inserted into the "run" sides of the tee. These pieces were long enough so that there was about 6" of void on each end based on the length of the pieces to be steamed. They were doing bent wood rockers as I recall. A short piece of "riser" into the tee branch would keep any liquid from contacting the wood if a hard boil was in process. The steam poured out of the ends of the pipes. Perhaps a turkey fryer burner/pot would make a good source for doing larger pieces. Find a reducer that would fit the top of the pot and build from there.
 
#17 ·
The hot plate, steam pot and metal duct pipe works great. I have done this with building bows. With bows if the wood is green (still wet) use wet heat (steam) if the wood is dried use dry heat as in a heat gun, fire etc. This works for radical bends in wood up to 3/4" inch thick. With steam you could straiten whole staves (log splits) when wet. The wood you are bending needs to be of strait grain though otherwise it is likely to fracture where the grain runs off. Steaming and heat straitening is a common thing when building bows, I know for boat building too though I have not built any boats. If you look up either or I'm sure you will find plans that won't break the bank. The kits you see woodworking companies selling seem awfully small to me and expensive for what they do. You could even use a pot on a stove with foil over the top to keep steam in if it's just a small section you are bending or if it's small enough (unless you have a very big pot) just boil it for about an hour (it depends on how thick it is) the thicker the longer. Native Americans would boil rocks or lay them in a fire until hot enough to place on whatever wood they needed to bend, or they would just hold their wood over the fire and do it that way. Good luck.
 
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