Steaming veneers when cold moulding

[Corley]

I'm cold moulding a c class trimaran main hull on a Kraken 25 designed by lock crowther. I've found around the transom where the turn of the bilge is most sharp the veneers are breaking or not sitting flush against the mould when I steam them they conform easily to the curve my question is will steaming them cause any problems with bonding to the next layer with epoxy? Its only the last 12" of hull that I'm having trouble with the rest conforms beautifully.

[Landlubber]

...no, steam bending will not cause any problems with epoxy glueing when they have cooled and returned to ambient temperatures. You obviously will need to check the moisture content, but as the veneers dry out they will laminate just as if they were not steamed...no worries mate, go for it.

[Corley]

thanks landlubber, looking forward to getting this done and that small area near the transom has been such a chore. I did the first side by selecting the veneers that bent the most easily but they were still under a lot of stress. Very impressed with the kiri overall very pleasant to use and light.

[Landlubber]

Don't forget that you can order your veneers to be quarter sliced or radially sliced or slab sliced....each will of course apply to different layup circumstances, the quarter will bend easiest along a rounded panel when parallel to the curve.