Steam bending is a woodworking technique where strips of wood are steam heated using a steam box. The applied heat and moisture makes the wood pliable enough to be easily bent around a form to create a specific shape (Keyser, 1985).
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Types of Bending timber
Bending Wood with the Steam Box Method:
Step 1:
Set up your steam box. The steam box can be a wooden box that is constructed to hold the wood that's to be bent, or it can be a piece of PVC or another type of pipe. The box needs to have a hole through which you can pump in the steam. It also needs an exit hole so the steam pressure doesn't blow up the box.
Set up your steam box. The steam box can be a wooden box that is constructed to hold the wood that's to be bent, or it can be a piece of PVC or another type of pipe. The box needs to have a hole through which you can pump in the steam. It also needs an exit hole so the steam pressure doesn't blow up the box.
- For best results, set up the exit hole so that it's turned toward the ground. This will allow the pressure inside the steam box to push the water out of your box (Wiki How, 2016).
Step 2:
Set up your form. The form is a shaped holder that receives the steamed wood. When dry, the wood will remain in the shape of the form.
Set up your form. The form is a shaped holder that receives the steamed wood. When dry, the wood will remain in the shape of the form.
- You will probably need to secure down the wood to the form with clamps. You can either make your own wooden clamps or purchase them. Try making some circle off cuts into which you drill an off-centre hole; pass a bolt through it and drill another hole through the side which you use to lever them shut. This makes for an effective clamp (Wiki How, 2016).
Step 3:
Steam the wood. Turn on the heat. Seal your wood inside the chamber and start steaming. On average, the wood should be steamed one hour for each inch of thickness.
Steam the wood. Turn on the heat. Seal your wood inside the chamber and start steaming. On average, the wood should be steamed one hour for each inch of thickness.
Step 4:
After appropriate time, remove wood from box and place steamed wood in the form. Do this as soon as possible after removing it from the steam box. Let sit until the wood is completely dry.
After appropriate time, remove wood from box and place steamed wood in the form. Do this as soon as possible after removing it from the steam box. Let sit until the wood is completely dry.
- Bend the wood gently and carefully. Different kinds of wood are springier than others and different cuts can withstand more force. It would be a shame to break your wood while you're trying to bend it.
- Clamp your wood down as soon as you've set it in place. Some prefer to clamp as they form the wood; clamping each section may give you more flexibility and control.
Bending Wood with the Lamination Method:
Step 1:
Prepare the wood to be bent. Cut the length of your wood strips a little longer than your required final measurement. The curve will shorten the length.
Prepare the wood to be bent. Cut the length of your wood strips a little longer than your required final measurement. The curve will shorten the length.
- Before you cut, make a diagonal line with a pencil and a ruler across the bottom of your stock. This way, if the wood strips get dropped or rearranged, you'll be able to tell which order they belong in.
- Cut your wood strips through a straight-grained edge, not on the face-grain side. This will help you put back the strips together with minimal interruption (Wiki How, 2016).
Step 2:
Line your form with thin cork liner. Cork will help to both anchor the laminate to its form and even out any irregularities in the sawn form so that you have an even crisper bend.
Line your form with thin cork liner. Cork will help to both anchor the laminate to its form and even out any irregularities in the sawn form so that you have an even crisper bend.
Step 3:
Spread glue on top of one of your wood strips. The glued strips will hold the wood in the bent shape.
Spread glue on top of one of your wood strips. The glued strips will hold the wood in the bent shape.
- Use a disposable roller to dispense the glue onto the wood.
- Use the right kind of glue:
- Try a two-part urea-formaldehyde glue. This glue sets very hard but also slowly.
- Try an epoxy. Epoxies are very effective but expensive.
- Do not use standard wood glue for bent lamination's. Normal wood glue sets soft and quickly, making it less ideal for this kind of project.
Step 4:
Place wood in the form as soon as possible before the glue has time to set. Top this with another wood strip lined with glue. Repeat this process until you have obtained your desired thickness. Clamp the pieces together. Once the glue is dry, cut the ends to your desired measurement.
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Place wood in the form as soon as possible before the glue has time to set. Top this with another wood strip lined with glue. Repeat this process until you have obtained your desired thickness. Clamp the pieces together. Once the glue is dry, cut the ends to your desired measurement.
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Bending Wood with the Kerf-cutting Method
Step 1:
Prepare your wood. Cut notches, or curves, 2/3 of the thickness of the wood. The kerfs are located on the inside of the curve you are attempting to fashion. Be careful. If the kerfs are too deep, they may break the wood.
Prepare your wood. Cut notches, or curves, 2/3 of the thickness of the wood. The kerfs are located on the inside of the curve you are attempting to fashion. Be careful. If the kerfs are too deep, they may break the wood.
- The key to kerfing is even spacing. Space all of your kerfs out as evenly as possible. Try to get the kerfs about 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) apart.
- Always cut across the grain. The chance of your wood splitting is much higher if you cut the kerfs with the grain.
Step 2:
Compress the ends of the wood to push the gaps created by the notches together. This will be the shape of the wood when it is finished.
Compress the ends of the wood to push the gaps created by the notches together. This will be the shape of the wood when it is finished.
Step 3:
Fix the bend. Face the front side of the wood with a veneer or laminate. This not only will fix, or set the bend, it will also hide any cuts that occurred during the process.
Check out Wiki How - http://www.wikihow.com/Bend-Wood
Fix the bend. Face the front side of the wood with a veneer or laminate. This not only will fix, or set the bend, it will also hide any cuts that occurred during the process.
- If you want to disguise the kerfing, mix together glue and sawdust (or an appropriate wood filler) and fill the spaces left in the bent wood.
Check out Wiki How - http://www.wikihow.com/Bend-Wood
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