Chris, how big are these pieces you want to bend? What sort of wood are
you bending?
I bent white ash ribs for the cradle boat I built for my newborn son.
They are only 3/16" thick. Since they were short enough to fit in the
kitchen sink, I put them in there and filled the sink with a
combination of water boiled in a kettle and hot tap water. To prevent
the ash from floating I weighted them down with a large pot. They were
quite pliable after about 30-40 minutes.
I removed the strips one at a time and ran to the shop to bend the
strips into the boat. I could tell that by the time I got to the shop
which isn't that far away, the strips were already starting to stiffen.
More soaking would probably helped that.
I think by the time you got your wood unwrapped from the foil and
towels the wood might start to cool and dry before you can get the
pieces bent into place.
Here are couple of links to pictures of the cradle if you're
interested.
http://www.woodshopphotos.com/albums/Dave-R1s-Album/insidefinish.jpg
http://www.woodshopphotos.com/albums/Dave-R1s-Album/cradle.sized.jpg
DarylRos wrote:
> >Hi I am hoping to avoid making a steamer and have been experimenting
with
> >wrapping wood strips with wet towels and tin foil and baking them in
the
> >oven.
>
> ...
>
> It's the steam you need, and at about 1 hour per inch of thickness,
baking them
> won't cut it.
Ah, but he's wrapping them in wet towels then baking them, in the
towels. That does steam them.
Another possibility would be to soak them and iron them onto
a form using a steam iron.
(Somewhere) I have a violin-making brochure that describes a
process for bending the thin wood for the sides. It calls for
drawing the pieces accross a heated metal dowel, bending a little
with each pass. I do not recall if the instructions called for
soaking the wood first, probably so.
--
FF
>Hi I am hoping to avoid making a steamer and have been experimenting with
>wrapping wood strips with wet towels and tin foil and baking them in the
>oven.
Unless you are talking about strips for model making, it won't work. And if you
are making the strips that thin, you are probably better off doing a bent
lamination.
It's the steam you need, and at about 1 hour per inch of thickness, baking them
won't cut it. Since you are talking about putting them in the oven, they are
clearly small pieces. I've built ship models by soaking the thin wood strips in
a bathtub. If you do that, you can avoid the whole baking issue, just soak the
strips, then bend them in whatever from you have. SInce the strips are small,
even string would make a good clamp.
Another possiblility is is having a heated pipe (you could heat it with a
torch, holding the pipe of whatever diameter in a vise) and slowly bending the
strips that way. I havent done that, but I've seen Phil Lowe do it for inlay
borders, and it is quite effective.
I built a really "High Tech" steamer once. :-)
Scroll about halfway down to see it:
http://the-wildings.com/shop/furniture/rocker/
I think what you are describing will work as well though.
--
Joe in Denver
my woodworking website:
http://www.the-wildings.com/shop/
"Chris" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi I am hoping to avoid making a steamer and have been experimenting with
> wrapping wood strips with wet towels and tin foil and baking them in the
> oven. Has anyone else ever tried this? I have had some success but would
> like to hear some input from knowlegeable sources.
>
> Thanks
> Chris
>
>
"Dave W" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> Soaking works, as does boiling. I have even used a wallpaper steamer
hooked
> to a plastic bag with the wood inside. Whatever the method, It helps (for
I made a rounded front edge for a bathroom basin a few years ago. It was
made out of 3/4" plywood which bent easier because of the plys, but it
should as well work for most domestic wood.
I cut a number of kerfs in the back of the wood and then soaked it overnight
in the bathtub. It bent like a wet noodle the next morning. A couple of days
of drying and then I glued some arborite over it.
Soaking works, as does boiling. I have even used a wallpaper steamer hooked
to a plastic bag with the wood inside. Whatever the method, It helps (for
hardwood at least) to work with air dried stock. If your stock will fit in
the oven, the tub may be the easiest solution. Leave it in the water for
days if thats what it takes!
Dave
"Dave W" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Soaking works, as does boiling. I have even used a wallpaper steamer
> hooked
Have had great success soaking in the bathtub for an hour or more depending
on thickness. Also helps to add a bit of dish soap or laundry soap to water.
Not sure why just have allways done this.
Sorry Dave I should of mentioned. I am using oak which is about quarter
inch thickness by 2-3 inches and and maybe 16 inches long. I wonder about
the soaking that might be very easy to do in my rain barrel. Thanks for you
input
Chris
Dave wrote in message
<[email protected]>...
>Chris, how big are these pieces you want to bend? What sort of wood are
>you bending?
>
>I bent white ash ribs for the cradle boat I built for my newborn son.
>They are only 3/16" thick. Since they were short enough to fit in the
>kitchen sink, I put them in there and filled the sink with a
>combination of water boiled in a kettle and hot tap water. To prevent
>the ash from floating I weighted them down with a large pot. They were
>quite pliable after about 30-40 minutes.
>
>I removed the strips one at a time and ran to the shop to bend the
>strips into the boat. I could tell that by the time I got to the shop
>which isn't that far away, the strips were already starting to stiffen.
>More soaking would probably helped that.
>
>I think by the time you got your wood unwrapped from the foil and
>towels the wood might start to cool and dry before you can get the
>pieces bent into place.
>
>Here are couple of links to pictures of the cradle if you're
>interested.
>http://www.woodshopphotos.com/albums/Dave-R1s-Album/insidefinish.jpg
>http://www.woodshopphotos.com/albums/Dave-R1s-Album/cradle.sized.jpg
>
On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 13:57:12 GMT, "Chris" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>Hi I am hoping to avoid making a steamer and have been experimenting with
>wrapping wood strips with wet towels and tin foil and baking them in the
>oven. Has anyone else ever tried this? I have had some success but would
>like to hear some input from knowlegeable sources.
>
>Thanks
>Chris
>
That will work, although not as good as a steamer. Steamers are not
all that hard to make. The big "trick" is this: After removing the
wood from the intense steam you have 30 seconds to bend it. Use
leather gloves and have everything setup, all planned and ready to go.