Steam Bending Walnut? Mahogany?

[Dave Richards]

Well, my next project is another boat. This time, though, it's only 46" long. Hopefully I can get it completed in time for the arrival of our new little crew member as it will be his/her cradle.

Pictures of one like it are here: http://www.jordanwoodboats.com/bt.htm

I'm thinking of using either walnut or mahogany for the transom, keel, stem, ribs knees, etc. The ribs are what I'm curious about, though. They aren't very large in cross section--I think about 3/16" thick.

So my question is, how well does walnut steam bend? What about mahogany?

[Steve Clardy]

Walnut steam bends ok as long as your strips are straight grained. I have done a lot of it when I was making shaker oval boxes. You will loose a little of the color, it will bleed out into the steam and water.
Not sure about mahogany, never bent it. Steve

[Jamie Buxton]

Mahogany does not steam-bend well. Walnut does. Ash and white oak steam-bend well, too.

[Russ Filtz]

May be cheat and do the thin slat, laminated type bend?

[Dave Richards]

Thanks guys. Russ, I thought about it but the ribs are bent in situ. You steam them and clamp them in place until they cool. Then you drill for copper rivets, rivet and cut the end of the rib off at the top of the sheer strake. Since the interior of the boat will be finished bright, I need to be careful not to get glue everywhere.

[Dan Smith]

Typically in Lapstrake construction where Mahogany was used as planking, white oak was steam bent in for the ribs after the planking was done. Not sure how sucessful you will be in steaming the mahogany, but why not uses something that would be typically found on an actual boat? Also the white oak would make a nice contrast to the mahogany planking if you are finishing the interior bright.

just my $0.02. Looks like a great project!

-dan

[Dave Richards]

Thanks Dan. I agree with you but the plans call for Atlantic white cedar, Port Orford cedar, Eastern white pine or Alsaka yellow cedar for the planking. I thought walnut would make a nice contrast to the softwood.

I was also considering mahogany for the keel, transom, etc.