May 25, 201214 yr OK gang, time to pull out all the stops. I just got drafted to repair a 100 year old children's maple rocker and I to bend an arm on it but have no steamer. Therefore, I must make one. Oneone have any quick and dirty steamer plans? I need to steam a 3/4 maple rod 14" long.Ron DudelstonSite HostAbove and Beyond WoodWorks
May 25, 201214 yr RonThere are plenty of plans and videos on this. Many are home made remedies. Search You tube, I'm sure you will find a quick answer.Wayne MahlerGod bless and protect our troops that serve so we can be free.
May 25, 201214 yr http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/library/steambox.pdfLew Kauffman-Wood Turners Forum HostTime traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!
May 25, 201214 yr 3 inch copper pipe with a cap on one end and a reducer on the other that will fit into the top of your gas/metal can , a gas/metal, 5 gal gi army gas can, some good heatproof gloves, and water, a wire milk crate, 3-8 ft 2x4's.Put a gas can (minus gas) or an old steel can or an army 5 gal can on top of a wire milk crate. fill 1/4 full water Build a tripod frame and put one end of the copper pipe into the can spout and the other end through the center of the tripod. use a couple of scraps to hold pipe up and some wire to secure the pipe to the tripod. Wrap a wet rag around the reducer where it goes into the gas/metal can to keep steam indrill a 1/2 inch hole in cap end of pipe. Tie a string around each piece of wood to keep pieces from sliding down too far and easier to pull out. build fire under the can (it has come to my attention that one of those burners they use for deep frying a turkey and setting grandmas house on fire might be just what you need) and wait for steam to come out top. WARNING!!! Steam is wicked hot and can do some major damage quick so a great pair of gloves and being careful goes a long way. I think you can also use pvc pipe instead of copper. I just looked at the one from highland woodworking that lewis suggested and it looks easier to build than what I said, lol.
May 25, 201214 yr Author THanks guys. Looks like I have a plan. WHat would be your best guess on time to steam a piece of 3/4 maple dowel?Ron DudelstonSite HostAbove and Beyond WoodWorks
May 25, 201214 yr about 45 min to an hour. When you bend it around the form, you will need a way to apply pressure to the entire outside edge to keep it from splitting. Something like a metal strap usually works well.Lew Kauffman-Wood Turners Forum HostTime traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!
May 25, 201214 yr additional info-http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/usda/ah125.pdfLew Kauffman-Wood Turners Forum HostTime traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!
May 25, 201214 yr build a box from the cheapest solid wood you can find, Nails or screws are fine. Make it the size you need to get your work in on little stickers to let the steam go all-a-way-a-round. Seam an hour an inch thickness is I think the right minimum time but more won't hurt.A leaky box is OK. In fact a leaky box will inform you of the adequacy of your steam supply.Too large a box will defeat you. Insulating the box with water resistant hardboard foam is a good idea.For steam you can use your BBQ grill and any vessel in which you can boil water that also lets you pipe it to your box. Shortest run possible is helpful, so too is insulating your steam line. Use steel copper or flexible silicone tubing to carry the steam.When bending use a fixture and clamp the piece to it. Consider making your work a little longer than you need to have a place to clamp when you start bending.Tip of the day:When steam bending if you bend it one way and then the opposite way and then back again that will break the lignun bonds more-better-er and the thing will lay in the fixture more compliantly.
May 25, 201214 yr Just wanted to drop in here and say great suggestions guys on this one! Mike and Cliff, Lew, great knowledge base you guys have! We love it when folks can answer a question right here on TPW!And great links folks to the sites with plans! Thanks for being here and great job all around!John MorrisThe Patriot WoodworkerProud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops
May 25, 201214 yr Author Question #3 -Â Any of you guys have any experience with steaming in a pressure cooker? My wife has a large pressure canner and she wondered why it wouldn't work.Ron DudelstonSite HostAbove and Beyond WoodWorks
May 25, 201214 yr Just a question Ron. Is the matching rod solid wood? Is the chair painted or natural?John MorrisThe Patriot WoodworkerProud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops
May 25, 201214 yr Question #3 - Any of you guys have any experience with steaming in a pressure cooker? My wife has a large pressure canner and she wondered why it wouldn't work. it'd work gangbusters so long as your wood would fit in it. The things are not large. and you wouldn't want the wood in the water.
May 25, 201214 yr Author Yes John, it is. John Morris said:Just a question Ron. Is the matching rod solid wood? Is the chair painted or natural?John MorrisThe Patriot WoodworkerProud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops
May 25, 201214 yr Agree with Cliff on the pressure Cooker- is it large enough to hold the piece? If it is, I think you would want to add a tray/basket in order to keep the wood out of the water.Just a side note, when I made the last challenge coin holder, I used Mimi's largest dutch oven and one of those collapsible vegetable steamer baskets. The pieces were only about 10" long. Just did it on the stove top.   Lew Kauffman-Wood Turners Forum HostTime traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!
May 26, 201214 yr Author Lew, I like the idea of the dutch oven. We have an electric 18 quart oven that would be the berries for that.Ron DudelstonSite HostAbove and Beyond WoodWorks
June 1, 201214 yr Author Its my next project Cliff. I'm building up stock (pay jobs) and building flag cases before I do the charity job. I'll keep you posted. Ron DudelstonSite HostAbove and Beyond WoodWorks
June 5, 201214 yr Hi Ron I don't know if your still looking for a steam box but here a good one I found and use.http://ceolas.org/instruments/bodhran/santin/MakeBox.htm
June 5, 201214 yr Author Thanks Phil. That has some real possibilities! Ron DudelstonSite HostAbove and Beyond WoodWorks
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