Jj

Jeff

04/10/2004 7:29 PM

Steam bending red oak?

Hi all.

I'm making up a new kitchen and have most of the work done and ready to go.
Cabinet fronts are red oak and poly. I'd like to finish it off by trimming
some curves in 1" red oak too, for end-shelf units 3/4" deep and the end of
the worktops 2" deep, that are exposed in the galley style kitchen. Now I
had planned to do it in several sections glue up and cut the radius with
router jig, but Here's The Question;

Could I steam the red oak to shape? and if so will it significantly change
the color bearing in mind it will be the same material and finish that the
rest of the kitchen is made from?

The other alternative is to strip laminate it?

thnx..


This topic has 2 replies

Gg

"George"

in reply to Jeff on 04/10/2004 7:29 PM

04/10/2004 3:35 PM

I'd laminate. Bending kilned wood is hit or miss, in my experience. Red
oak can be matched pretty easily with its coarse grain.

"Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi all.
>
> I'm making up a new kitchen and have most of the work done and ready to
go.
> Cabinet fronts are red oak and poly. I'd like to finish it off by trimming
> some curves in 1" red oak too, for end-shelf units 3/4" deep and the end
of
> the worktops 2" deep, that are exposed in the galley style kitchen. Now I
> had planned to do it in several sections glue up and cut the radius with
> router jig, but Here's The Question;
>
> Could I steam the red oak to shape? and if so will it significantly
change
> the color bearing in mind it will be the same material and finish that the
> rest of the kitchen is made from?
>
> The other alternative is to strip laminate it?
>
> thnx..

JP

Jim Polaski

in reply to Jeff on 04/10/2004 7:29 PM

05/10/2004 12:32 AM

In article <[email protected]>,
Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi all.
>
> I'm making up a new kitchen and have most of the work done and ready to go.
> Cabinet fronts are red oak and poly. I'd like to finish it off by trimming
> some curves in 1" red oak too, for end-shelf units 3/4" deep and the end of
> the worktops 2" deep, that are exposed in the galley style kitchen. Now I
> had planned to do it in several sections glue up and cut the radius with
> router jig, but Here's The Question;
>
> Could I steam the red oak to shape? and if so will it significantly change
> the color bearing in mind it will be the same material and finish that the
> rest of the kitchen is made from?
>
> The other alternative is to strip laminate it?
>
> thnx..

Steam bending can work. You can make the steam chest from PVC pipe with
the screw on ends. and you can fashion an inlet to attach a steam
generator.

Norm(TOH and NY) showed the set up on video during a show. Regrdless,
try here:

STEAM BENDING
http://www.charlottewoodworkers.org/Articles/steam%20bending.html

StEAM BENDING- from Lee Valley tools-Three booklets online and shows how
to make everything.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?page=43626&category=1,42172&ccurre
ncy=3&SID=


http://www.geocities.com/nwwoodencanoe/NWtips_steam_bend.html

Wood Bending
http://www.tai-workshop.com/english/tech-2(b)-e.html

Stabalizing and bending wood for the hobbyist.

--
Regards,
JP
"The measure of a man is what he will do
knowing he will get nothing in return"



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