Steam Bending small pieces

[Lloyd James]

I want to steam bent one .080 x 3 x 4in. piece of Bloodwood. I have to attach it to a back surface of a wooden toy. I don't want to use vernier
since I want to sand a nice radius to make the toy feel good. While sanding this surface a accidently rounded 1 end a bit. The thin piece
is to cover several holes that I have inserted 1/2 Dia. brass bars with
Oak plugs to add to retaining the brass. I can glue and clamp the thin piece on, but I am worried that when the child drops the bulldozer, this piece could peel and crack. I want to steam bend the thin cover and glue it on.
I do not know how long I have to steam the wood, holding over a steaming pot. Someone mention that you can boil the wood. Is this true.
Thanks for any help.

[Chris Padilla]

If I am following you all right, you are concerned about such a thin piece of wood staying put over the years?

Well, I think you are on the right track to want to form the wood to the rough shape of where it will be applied. That will help relieve pressure some, I think.

What you want, though, is a good glue that will hold that sucker tight and that dries hard and ridgid. Basically, what you are doing is applying a veneer albeit a rather thick veneer. Thinner is better to mitigate movement issues but I think I understand why you want it thicker in this case. Go for a plastic resin type of glue and avoid the PVAs (yellow and white glue, Titebonds, etc.)

As far as bending the piece, you might want to build a form, soak the wood a couple of days in water, then put it in the form and ignore it for a week. Take it out and then let it reacclimate for another week and see how it changes. It is bound to spring back a bit but might be close enough for you.

This is quite a small piece...what kind of radius of bend are you looking for? It might be easier to bend a longer piece of correct width.

You might also consider glueing on several layers of thinner veneers...kind of a bloodwood sandwich. Got any pics to make things clearer for us?

[Dewey Torres]

I saw Roy Underhill drop small pieces into boiling water for 10 min on a show to make a wooden puzzle and it worked like a champ. I am sure it will work for this too. You will just have to hold it in position until it dries.

[Lloyd James]

Thank you Chris and Dewey for some very helpful comments. It is difficult to find info on this subject.
I am submitting 3 pictures of my Bulldozer toy. The 3/32 thk. piece of wood is going to be glued accross the back of the dozer rear where you can see the largest curve. There is also a short curve in the opposite side, but in the corner only. I also have a picture of the Bucket, just to show you the opp. end of the dozer. You won't believe this but I have been working on 2 of these toys, and two previous prototypes, and some other parts for over 9 months. I have had problems with almost every part. One of the most difficult parts are the hubs, since I have to turn the OD, to use Saltine wood and match the bucket. Then I have to take the part out of my lathe and find the center again for a 3/4 forsner bit for the hub lip. Many times my 1/2 D. shaft hole is off center and becomes a basket shot to you know where. Oh well, live and let learn.
By the way Chris, I grew up in San Francisco, went to Twin Peaks grammar, and Polytechnic hi and lived on 3400 Market street st.. The famous picture that TV shows the downtown and the Bay Bridge was almost right out my bedroom window. I also found some 1850 Hong Kong coins in the yard, where sadly they build another flat. We had such a pretty yard and tree. Where is progress going to take us.

[Lloyd James]

I guess you can only put 2 pictures on a post at a time.
So here is the 3rd picture of the Bucket of my Bulldozer toy.
The wood is Saltine (Bloodwood). Do not like that name.

[Ray Schafer]

You can put more than two, but I think that you can only upload two at a time. Upload the two and then attach two more, etc.

[Chris Padilla]

5 pics per post are allowed so one would need at least two separate posts to upload 6 - 10 pictures, for example.

[Dewey Torres]

Drop it in a boiling pot of hot water for 10 minutes. It will work.

Don't forget to make the bending/ drying form first.

I LOOOOOVVVVEEE the pics! Thanks. Come back and post the final as well!

[Frank Hagan]

I've done this. It isn't hard.

Wooden boat builders steam wood all the time ... see this link (http://www.messing-about.com/forums/index.php?topic=4002.0) for one guy's first attempt (a success). For smaller pieces, dropping the wood in boiling water works. Steam boxes ... they can be cobbled together using 4" ABS plastic drain pipe ... work for longer and thicker pieces. This link (http://gaboats.com/tutorials/steambox_nonav.html) has a tutorial on building a steam box out of styrofoam for steaming ribs for boats. The old rule of thumb was that you needed about 10 minutes in the steamer per inch of wood thickness; I always left mine in longer.

Make a bending form out of scrap that duplicates your radius, sized so that you can bend the wood around it and clamp it in place. For small pieces like yours, you could take a piece of 4x4 and band saw it with the radius, and you would end up with a "male" and "female" portion of a bending form. Figure out a way to clamp your piece of bendable wood in between those two, and you'll have it made. Boil the wood 10 minutes or so, take it out and quickly place it in the form and clamp. Wait for it to cool, and disassemble. There will be some spring back, but it should retain enough of the radius so that it can be glued to the toy.