On May 21, 1:07 pm, B A R R Y <[email protected]> wrote:
> mm47 wrote:
> > I will be dusting off and using my old copper steam wood bender this
> > summer. I know cherry, maple and walnut lend themselves well to steam
> > bending, BUT what other woods, including EXOTICS steam bend well too?
> > tnx
> > mm47
>
> Not an exotic, but ash is fantastic to steam bend.
One woodworking shop near here uses a 4 ft long 1-1/2" plastic drain
pipe capped on one end. They then slide in a moulding, or strips and
then they fill it with Downey fabric softener. After a couple of days
of soaking, you can practically tie knots in the strips. Supposedly,
the dipalmitoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate does the trick by
lubricating the fibers so they won't tear when being bent. I have this
from 2 sources, but I have not tried it myself.
After it is bent and attached in place (fire-place mantles), it is
rinsed with a wet sponge and then, supposedly takes regular stains and
finishes.
If you're waiting for a punch-line or some sort of pun...sorry.
On May 22, 6:53 am, "Dean H." <[email protected]> wrote:
>. I wonder how cedar bends.
Canoe guys like the stuff. You could laminate it in reasonably thick
strips.
>
> The capricious pen of the architect.
The good ol' "bet you can't build that" syndrome.
On May 21, 8:31 pm, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
> On May 21, 1:07 pm, B A R R Y <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > mm47 wrote:
> > > I will be dusting off and using my old copper steam wood bender this
> > > summer. I know cherry, maple and walnut lend themselves well to steam
> > > bending, BUT what other woods, including EXOTICS steam bend well too?
> > > tnx
> > > mm47
>
> > Not an exotic, but ash is fantastic to steam bend.
>
> One woodworking shop near here uses a 4 ft long 1-1/2" plastic drain
> pipe capped on one end. They then slide in a moulding, or strips and
> then they fill it with Downey fabric softener. After a couple of days
> of soaking, you can practically tie knots in the strips. Supposedly,
> the dipalmitoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate does the trick by
> lubricating the fibers so they won't tear when being bent. I have this
> from 2 sources, but I have not tried it myself.
> After it is bent and attached in place (fire-place mantles), it is
> rinsed with a wet sponge and then, supposedly takes regular stains and
> finishes.
>
> If you're waiting for a punch-line or some sort of pun...sorry.
Wife and I have used the Downy process very successfully on several
occasions. We use black DWV also. To speed things along, we pour in
boiling water, after the wood and 3 capfuls of Downy, then let it set
in the Arizona sun for 2-3 hours. It's very pliable.1/2"X2" is the
largest we've tried and it's all been qrtr sawn white Oak. Longer
soaking would be neccesary, of course, for thicker stock.
Gene
when ash is metioned, it seems to always be generalized, not ever
speaking of the various ash options. my thoughts go to black ash
fraxinus negra, which grows mostly in the upper midwest, northen area of
the U.S. for those that have never seen black ash it's on my website
www.highislandexport.com
also sawn wood can be bent provided care is used in the sawing process,
log must be shimmed to follow the gain, i have sawn everything from
barrel staves, oak boat ribs
to maple banjo hoops.
On 21 May 2007 09:29:38 -0700, mm47 <[email protected]> wrote:
>what other woods, including EXOTICS steam bend well too?
American ash isn't _too_ bad to steam bend, but it's hardly that good...
...compared to European ash, F. exclesior that is. Now that's the
perfect steam bending wood, so long as you use it green and split, not
sawn.
OK, so you've got us beaten on the maples (and hickory, and osage
orange)
In article <[email protected]>, mm47 <[email protected]> wrote:
>I will be dusting off and using my old copper steam wood bender this
>summer. I know cherry, maple and walnut lend themselves well to steam
>bending, BUT what other woods, including EXOTICS steam bend well too?
>tnx
Can't help you with the exotics, but among native North American hardwoods,
the classic easy benders are ash and oak.
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.
On May 22, 6:53am, "Dean H." <[email protected]> wrote:
>. I wonder how cedar bends.
Canoe guys like the stuff. You could laminate it in reasonably thick
strips.
>
> The capricious pen of the architect.
The good ol' "bet you can't build that" syndrome.
In article <[email protected]>,
DZIN <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Wife and I have used the Downy process very successfully on several
> occasions. We use black DWV also. To speed things along, we pour in
> boiling water, after the wood and 3 capfuls of Downy, then let it set
> in the Arizona sun for 2-3 hours. It's very pliable.1/2"X2" is the
> largest we've tried and it's all been qrtr sawn white Oak. Longer
> soaking would be neccesary, of course, for thicker stock.
> Gene
Great! Sometimes my friends try to trick me, but it is good to hear it
works. I am also told that only Downey seems to work, that other
softeners don't. Any input on that?
Also, what do you do after you bend it? Rinse with plain water? Or isn't
there enough Downey to matter?
TIA
r
"mm47" ...
>I will be dusting off and using my old copper steam wood bender this
> summer. I know cherry, maple and walnut lend themselves well to steam
> bending, BUT what other woods, including EXOTICS steam bend well too?
> tnx
> mm47
>
Red oak works well. As Andy pointed out, riving or splitting the stock
instead of using sawn wood helps a lot in terms or grain run out.
Since we're talking steam bending again...
my girlfriend and partner just got mail order plans for a cottage she plans
to have me build. The terribly cute entry plans call out a 16 foot cedar
4x6 - steam bent to around a 20 foot radius. I wonder how cedar bends.
The capricious pen of the architect.
Never tried it but a couple of cabinet makers and a carpenter all told me
the same thing.
"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> One woodworking shop near here uses a 4 ft long 1-1/2" plastic drain
> pipe capped on one end. They then slide in a moulding, or strips and
> then they fill it with Downey fabric softener. After a couple of days
> of soaking, you can practically tie knots in the strips. Supposedly,
> the dipalmitoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate does the trick by
> lubricating the fibers so they won't tear when being bent. I have this
> from 2 sources, but I have not tried it myself.
> After it is bent and attached in place (fire-place mantles), it is
> rinsed with a wet sponge and then, supposedly takes regular stains and
> finishes.
>
> If you're waiting for a punch-line or some sort of pun...sorry.
>