Bending pine dowels

[Scott Hackler]

Need a little advise. I am working on a new piece and I have three pine (or douglass fir) dowels that I turned down to a shade under 1/4" (about 10" long) that I need to bend.

I am about to rig up a steam box, but was wondering about either just soaking them for a few days or maybe boiling them. I will be making three forms to clamp them into the curves I desire, while they dry.

2nd, how radical a curve should I realistically be able to achieve?


Thanks... Scott

[John Keeton]

Scott, I have never steam bent wood, but I am guessing there are better species for that purpose than the two you have chosen.

You might get a better response on this in the General Woodworking forum. If you want me to move the thread, let me know.

[David E Keller]

I would worry about turned wood for bent forms... Seems like riven oak is generally used for steam bent furniture parts with shaping done after the bending process. I'm not saying it can't be done, but I've not heard of anyone doing it.

Please let us know how it goes and any lessons learned.

[Gary Conklin]

At that thickness a good soak and bending over a torched pipe should work. Just saw a demo on this it was amazing, btw the wagner 705 wallpaper steamer works great!

[Scott Hackler]

This is going to be an experiment for an element of the latest project, so I am going to try a long soak in real hot water first. I turned 3/4" x 3/4" stock down to the dowel thickness I wanted, but the "vision" I am trying to reach needs these suckers to be bent!

I went with pine 3/4" flat stock because of the light color and the thought that it would "soak up" the water/steam easier for a bend. It sure was pain in the rear to thin down over a 10-12" length! Not the firmest of woods, thats for sure!


I'll give it a shot sometime real soon. Thanks for the input.

[David Gilbert]

Scott,

I'm not sure about how easily your pine or fir will bend after steaming but I have a pretty easy steam box that you can try. Put one of your dowels into a plastic bag (with a hole or two punched in it), add a bit of water and put it in your microwave for a few minutes. After a minute the water will be boiling and you might continue this for a couple of more. Take it out and put it into your form. If it's not flexible enough, zap it some more but be sure to keep the water in the bag.

Cheers,
David

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Scott, FWIW, the lignin that keeps the wood bound together will become softer and pliable at boiling temperatures, anything less will make it harder or impossible to bend it, higher temps like in a pressure cooker would make it easier.
Long stringy wood, Oak or Elm does work better than short grained wood HTH :-)

[Scott Hackler]

Ok. Looks like boiling might be my first attempt! Guess its time to fire up the turkey fryer burner with a big ole pot of water! Thanks fellas.

[David E Keller]

Is anybody else suspicious that Hackler is gonna throw in a couple pieces of blackwood just to see if it'll bend?:D

[Fred Perreault]

I have steam bent many Windsor chair parts, and it is as much art as science. Green oak or ash, riven along the grain and bent around a form and fastened to same is always a chancy prospect. If the piece does not follow straight grain, and is not steamed then bent quickly, there will be fractures at the edge. There are many variables that all need to be in positive alignment for success..... species, number and location of natural blemishes, time in steam box, quickness to form, sharpness of the arc/curve.... Any grain that runs off the edge is sure to be found when bending.

[John Beaver]

For something that short try this microwave steaming trick.

Wrap them in wet paper towels, fold over the ends so the steam stays in, let the water soak in for a couple of minutes, put them in a microwave and turn on full power for 40-60 seconds.

Have everything ready because you will only have a short time to work with them.

It's a little hit or miss on the timing. For 1/4 dowels I would start around 45 seconds. If your first try isn't enough you can always put them back in for a longer shot. Be careful that the paper towels are going to be hot when you unwrap them.

Lastly, make sure you put them on an old plate, as the wood can sometimes leave a mark on the plate.

[Scott Hackler]

Well, for those keeping score.. The first one I wrapped in very wet paper towels and microwaved for 3-4 minutes. It was really hot and I think this might have worked if I would have soaked it first, but I snapped the darn thing in half while bending it around the form!

I put the other two in a big pot of water and boild them for 1 1/2 hours. Really hot and pliable!!! They conformed very well around the forms and I left them to dry overnight. So...... I now have to turn a replacement for the broken one and because my "form" was lines drawn on plywood with little finish nails outlining the shape, the nails all left little indents in the dowels. :( So now l have to break out the 80 grit gouge and get to work on the boo boos.

FYI. :)