Steam Bending Osage Orange

[Michael A. Tyree]

I need to bend a couple pieces of osage orange for chair back slats. My wood stash is over 30 years in storage and quite dry. The slats will be ~ 4" wide x ~ 1/2 thick x ~22" long.
I have never tried bending this species and do know that archery bow makers bend this species for primitive style bows. Most often they use uncured wood so I suppose I'll need to rough out my parts and soak them. I am considering buying an Earlex steamer or construction of a simple metal tray to boil a few slats. Species wise this is a one time project for a lifetime wood worker but i have used osage wood before unbent.
Ideas? Thanks!!!

[Bradley Gray]

I don't think you will have any trouble with the bending if you happen to have osage that is straight-grained. I have bent sides for instruments ( guitar and mando cello) by soaking and bending on a hot pipe but the stock was only 1/8" thick.

I too have a 30 year old stash of osage, most of it still logs, but most of what I have has lots of grain-reverses.

I have an Earlex steamer and it works well, but for a slight bend like a chair slat your tray idea would probably work fine. The dye in Osage is water soluble so you may change the color by boiling.

[Michael A. Tyree]

Thanks Bradley, I might boil a sample to see what color comes about. I've made several items from Osage over the years, it also changes color from light exposure similar to cherry. The golden new sawn color becomes a dark amber toned brown over time. Now to come up with a cheap & easy tray that can boil a slat. grain reverses is so very true with osage! It's also a challenge for a planer.

[Jamie Buxton]

If color change from steaming or boiling is a problem, consider bent lamination. Resaw the lumber to get thinner laminates, and keep the laminates in order when you glue them back together. You'll hardly see the lamination in the finished part.

[Bradley Gray]

Now to come up with a cheap & easy tray

I made one long ago from aluminum coil stock by folding the corners and adding wood handles on the ends. Still hanging on the shop wall.