steaming wood

Discussion in 'Wooden Boat Building and Restoration' started by longliner45, Aug 12, 2007.

  1. longliner45
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    longliner45 Senior Member

    hi all ,,how long can it be done before damage to the wood ?,,and can boiling wood yield same results ?which is better ,,and how is it done properly?thanks in advance ,,longliner
     
  2. alan white
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    alan white Senior Member

    I don't know about damaging wood---- that may depend on which wood--- the natural oils in some woods might leach out. A few hours shouldn't be damaging to most woods. Coloration may change more than damage of other kinds, I'd think.
    Boiling is just the same. You can boil water and feed ash or oak into it (coiling into the pot slowly) to make mast hoops. Bigger pieces, you can maintain a towel-wrap of boiling water. You dip the towel into a pot of boiling water with tongs and wrap it around the piece of wood, continuing until the wood can be bent.

    Alan
     
  3. longliner45
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    longliner45 Senior Member

    it will be mahogony 1 inch thick ,,about 5 ft long,,,,and also a tiller stick ,
     
  4. lazeyjack

    lazeyjack Guest

    john , mahog would steam I made a steamer once ,used a pipe , welded a socket into the end, screwed in a hotwater heater element and there you are, the hardwood, Kwila I shoved in there refused to steam, it was so dense and heavy
    Another way is draw the shape of your tiller, and rip your wood thinnish say 1/4" then laminate the thing around wooden blocks nailed to the curve, you can then say use a dark and light timber alternately, looks very smart
     
  5. PAR
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Mahogany doesn't steam as well as other lumbers, so don't try tight radiuses. One hour for each inch of thickness is the rule. Yep, you can over cook the lumber. Don't if you prefer not to hear loud cracks as you bend the stock. If it is well seasoned or kiln dried stuff, then soak it in a tub of water over night before steaming. Boiling water will help bend very gentle radiuses, but not anywhere close to a piece fresh out of the steam box. Mast hoops are best bent around a mandrel and steamed, though laminated will suffice just fine. I hope you're not thinking about mast hoops on your Spencer, which would be just plane wrong.

    Bending stock should be especially straight grained and the grain should be vertical, free of any blemishes. This stock is best green, just from the lumber jack, literally for bending stock. Soak the stuff, if it's relatively dry and don't be surprised if you break a piece or two in the process.
     
  6. artemis
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    artemis Steamboater

    And don't waste any time getting it fromthe steam box to the bending jig. If you're lucky you may have 5 minutes to complete the bend; 2 to 3 is more like it. And don't try to "re-steam" it. Doesn't work. Won't happen. Destroys the strength of the wood. :(
     
  7. longliner45
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    longliner45 Senior Member

    thank for your help guys,,,,,Ill try to do this without making a giant pipebomb,Ill leave about a one inch hole ,,and use a 8 or 9 inch pipe,,probably use a gallon of water ,and put it in the fire,,,make brackets,,and let it sit for and hour or less,if you dont hear from me again ,,,,,,,investigate allen,,thanks.longliner
     
  8. PAR
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    You'll need a lot more then a gallon of water for an hour of steam in a pipe that size.

    The method I use is a propane powered camping burner (a big one) and a 5 gallon gas can (metal of course). Nearly full of water (say 4.5 gallons) it'll take a half hour just to get a full head of steam. The gas can has a rubber hose that is lead into the lower end of the pipe, fitted to a tight hole of the same diameter. The steam leaves the gas can, up through the hose and into the pipe (I used 8" chimney pipe). The other end, which is raised higher then the end the steam comes in (steams rises) has a loose fitting cap, which is wrapped with a towel. As steam fills the pipe you try to keep it there as best as you can, which is the point of the rag, which partly seals the loose fitting cap. I can control the amount of steam by positioning the towel (it's hot and wet).

    Another method that works good, if you have just a tiller arm to do, is to cap the lower end of the pipe tight. Put some water in it and use a propane torch on the lower end (where the water is). Again a loose fitting cap on the upper end or a few towels to control the steam.
     
  9. longliner45
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    longliner45 Senior Member

    thanks paul,,,,,,longliner
     
  10. lazeyjack

    lazeyjack Guest

    best mate if you got a peice of old rhs , whacked a plate on end, welded on a 1 3/8 npt socket, or whatever the thead size will be, 15 bucks for an electric element and walk away while it brews, bugger all these camp fires under it
     

  11. Alixander Beck
    Joined: Jun 2005
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    Alixander Beck Junior Member

    If you paint the wood before steaming it will allow you more time to setup in the jig. Also it prevents some checking of the grain.
     
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