# bending dowell rods



## NaptownWood (Apr 9, 2013)

Does anyone have any experience in steaming or boiling small dowell rods to shape them into twisted shapes? I am designing another roadster, but this time, like a nice Rat Rod, I'd like to have some nasty headers coming out of the hood, and running down the sides. I have been wanting to take some dowell rods, and put them in boiling water, or steam them in a small PVC tube.

The question is have you done this and how much could I contort a maple vs walnut dowell, say 1/4" in dia. Is it even possible to do without splintering the heck out of it?

On another note, anyone ever try to make a small wooden spring on the lathe? some coil over shocks would be cool too.


----------



## Loren (May 30, 2008)

It will not work well at all. You could bend perhaps
1/8" dowel on a hot pipe but you'll get breakage
at less than a 90 degree bend a lot of the time. 1/4" 
rod could be coaxed into a mild curve.

The problem with dowel rod is there is going to
be so much grain runout the rod will break easily. 
You can improve your chances by splitting square
billets from boards. This way there is little 
runout.

A piece with a square cross section can be bent 
using a backing strap and then shaped to round
after.

Instead I suggest you harvest green wood. You can cut
the exterior off and pull it through a 1/4" die to shape
it to a uniform diameter. Then bend it to shape and
let it dry like that.


----------



## NaptownWood (Apr 9, 2013)

Thats a great idea. I have a couple of huge maple trees n the back yard, and the new spring growth right now is still super supple and hasnt developed true bark yet. I shouldbe able to find quite a few pieces in the correct diameter range i need. I may try to use this technique to try and twist some smaller ones onto nails to make some springs for the shocks.

Thanks!


----------



## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

You might try bamboo kabob skewers, they are a little shy of 1/8" and are pretty bendy when wet, but 1/4" maple, no way.


----------



## NaptownWood (Apr 9, 2013)

green maple bent.

still doesn't do exactly what you want, but a damn sight better than billing a dowell rod.

Thanks Loren,

Chris


----------

