# I'm steaming...



## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

I've been lost with how to proceed on a lamp i'm making (one piece of wood, mixed media - stone base). After pondering for a few months, waiting to acquire the right tools, and finally talking it over with a fellow rennaissance soul at work yesterday I know what I need to do next, what I don't know, is exactly how.

I have a piece of Lilac, approx 3-4 inches in diameter, 18 or so inches long. I've already bored a hole down the center, and removed most of the soft and decayed wood. I've figured out how I'll cut three legs (following the spiral twist of the grain - Dremel!), and I have a vague notion of how to make a steam box that will allow me to bend the legs to where I want them.

Since this is too big for the microwave (a method I know I saw in Wood for making salad tongs), I know I'll have to make a box. I'm sure I saw plans somewhere, but combing through my magazine pile will take several weeks!

I figure I'll hook up a capped piece of PVC, slightly larger, to a kettle on the stove via a hose or something, that I'll probably run outdoors, or try in my in-laws garage.

Now that I'm on the verge of progress with this project, a few other design variations have come to mind, so I know I'm on the right track. (AHHHHRGH! the list is growing!)

What I don't know, is how long to steam for, will this work, anything else I need to keep in mind? Please share your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks!


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## RobS (Aug 11, 2006)

Hey Scott, I recently went to a craft fair where they made a windsor chair. At the beginning of the project they placed two pieces of 1.5" X 1.5" X 48" red oak in a home made steamer and after roughly 30-40 minutes they took one out and bent it around a form, making a semi circle, no splits or cracks. I think I remember them stating that the steamer reached tempuratures well above 250, closer to 280 if I can remember correctly. Their steamer consisted of a 5 foot piece of PVC with capped ends and a propane tank/burner for the heat souce. Sorry can't remember exactly how the steam was piped into the PVC, some type of plumbing fitting I'm sure. Hope that helps.


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## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

Ok, so ask, and the universe will provide. What just happened to show up in the mailbox today - the March Issue of wood, with a helpful how-to on steam bending.

not having all the parts on hand to build the box - but readily available, I'm still looking at free alternatives…. seeing the steam rising out of the dishwasher sparked an idea…. but a quick google search shows nothing in the way of bending beyond steaming, kerf cutting and laminating… the latter two are out on this project, and Steaming is still an option…

Any thoughts on concerns for or against using the dishwasher? - it gets hot enough to cook salmon in there (seriously)... and is certainly a moist environment. Up on the rack will keep it from sitting in water, though some methods advocate a weeklong soak beforehand - so I don't think I'd have to wrap the piece….

anyhow, making a box isn't out of the question, but does anyone think this is, or definately isn't worth a shot (before I ruin an appliance, and have to tear out another counter!


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## Don (Dec 18, 2006)

When I was a boy (mid last century), I lived close to a small fishing community on the Fraser River in British Columbia. There was a thriving boat building industry there to supply trawlers and gill netters; fishing boats built from wood. These were anything up to 75' in length. To bend the cedar planks around the oak frames of the hull, the wood was steamed for days in long timber steamers. These were simple devices also made from cedar. In essence, they were long boxes butt-joined at the corners. Into one end ran galvanized pipe with holes drilled into the pipe every six inches. The pipe came from a boiler capturing the steam. If I recall correctly, the boilers were fired by oil (this pre-dated the availability of natural gas.

It seems to me that a smaller version of this could easily be made for the back yard.


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Hi Scott,
I just searched Fine woodworking, & found this. It'll give you an idea of how this guy did it.
I don't think you need to build a box like him, but it gives you pointers.
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesPDF.aspx?id=2004


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Hey Scott.
Wood magazines latest issue has a feature on wood bending. Here's a video .
http://www.woodmagazine.com/wood/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/wood/story/data/1167776675349.xml&catref=cat5610002


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## Don (Dec 18, 2006)

Dick, that's exactly what I had in mind in my previous post in this thread. Thanks for the link.


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## Obi (Oct 19, 2006)

I have plans to make a home made steamer if anyone wants them. It's in the book The Complete Manual of Woodworking
Or I can send you the pictures via e-mail


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## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

Thanks All…. between these links, and the latest issue of wood, I think I'm all set!,

however if things turn out to be a bust, I'll take you up on those plans Obi.


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## Obi (Oct 19, 2006)

I can't recommend that book enough. It's only $16.00 and to get all that information for that little is a blessing.


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

I had a friend that made a steamer out of an brand new 5 gallon gasoline can with a rubber hose to a 4" plastic pipe. (the kind that is used for drain pipes not the Sch 40 pipe). He had dowels pushed through so that his wood would be off the bottom of the tube. He bent sides for canoes. He tipped it up a little so that all of the condensate would drain back into his heating container. Once you add more water and it cools off you basicly have to start the steaming all over again. So you never want the pot to run out and you never want it to cool off. I don't remember if he had any safety releaf valve so that excess pressure does not cause any problem.


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## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

That's pretty smart re-using the hot water… I guess a hot plate with a large (new) gas can seems like a better way to go, and probably no more costly than getting an small, electric kettle. If I put in a relief hole at the upper bottom end of the pipe, that should release pressure, while still conserving the water.

Thanks!


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

I think you need a drain hole at the bottom, because the steam does all the work. Steam is much hotter than water condensate. The excess water would cool things down.


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## scottb (Jul 21, 2006)

I just, (finally) found an old issue of Wood about bending things that will fit in the microwave. Specifically a pair of springloaded tongs. That seems pretty straightforward, but in the meantime (when I can find any that is) I'm sourcing supplies to make me a biggun' with all the advice here.

I'll get this lamp bent, dangit!


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## bud (Jan 10, 2007)

all the info i have read say 1 hr in steam box for every inch thickness.


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## bud (Jan 10, 2007)

lee valley tools and vertas have book on steaming and how to jigs, all in pdf format you can copy, which I did. Lots of ideas there for free.


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## Chipncut (Aug 18, 2006)

Hi Scott, Heres another article on bending. This is how I made my Windsor chairs, by Laminating. Cold Bending


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## TheKiltedWoodworker (Dec 21, 2006)

Last year we had Marc Adams come down and put on a three-day seminar for our woodworking guild in Saint Louis. He had a funny story about a project one of his instructors was working on and he was going to put a 90 degree bend in some 8/4 cherry.

Mark was absolutely astounded that the guy would even attempt such a thing! He told the guy there was no way it would happen and the guy said, "oh, yeah, I can do it. I did some this morning, in fact! Here, look!" and he pulled out some 8/4 cherry that had been bend at a 90 degree angle.

Mark was floored. He asked his instructor how he bent a piece of 8/4 cherry without splitting it. The instructor replied, "I cut the tree down this morning."

He was steaming and bending green wood. Marc said it was like a revelation - he was surprised he'd limited himself to thinking of kiln-dried lumber.

I thought it was such an interesting story and I think of it every time I come across a situation where I think it would be impossible to accomplish the task with the tools I have at hand. I just have to stop and try to think outside the box, so to speak.


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## philsville (Mar 31, 2006)

Scott
I made a steamer from pvc pipe and used an electric wallpaper steamer as the power source. One hour per inch of material is a guide. I had little luck using kiln-dried stock. Green timber is the way for steaming!
Hope this helps
Phil


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## woodcrafter47 (Nov 24, 2009)

Hey ,you know I did read an a piece on wood bending using a gas can and PVC pipe useing
a radiator hose for the connection. heating water on a camp stove. maybe be able to set this up.


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