Bending Hard Maple

[James Tibbetts]

Just a general question. How well suited to steaming and bending for use in chair parts is hard maple. I'm thinking kitchen type chairs as opposed to Windsors.

[Mel Fulks]

Most steam bending is done with wood that is not dry, the steam doesn't penetrate and plasticize kiln dried wood. I think you would have to use freshly cut stuff to have a chance.

[James Tibbetts]

Thanks Mel. I have access to a hard maple log that went down in a storm 2 years ago. It's still off the ground.. sitting on the root ball on one end and the brush top on the other.
Do you think it may fall into the realm of "fresh" even at this point ?

[Jamie Buxton]

It certainly isn't dry, so it should bend okay. The bigger worry is that it might be bug-eaten, or have lots of surface-checking. You won't know about that until you cut into it.

[James Tibbetts]

Thanks guys. I'm going after it when the creepy crawly things are gone for the winter. (timber rattlers and copper heads !)

[roger wiegand]

Not knowing any better at the time, I've bent kiln dried curly maple for banjo rims (11 in circle with 1/4 in plies). I steamed it for a fairly long time under pressure (in an autoclave), and then had about a minute of working time to get it bent and clamped. Not easy, but doable. Air dried or green would probably have been easier.

[Mike Henderson]

If steam bending doesn't work, you can laminate bend it. That will work with just about any wood - just a bit more work.

Mike

[James Tibbetts]

Lots of good thoughts and ideas as always. I'l probably kick this back to the top after I get some of the lumber.
Thanks to all.