I need to bend some 3/16" oak and I know enough to know I shouldn't
overcook it. Can some one give me a guideline on how long to leave it
in?
Thanks in advance,
Phil Brown

Go to Google.

I found http://www.wcha.org/tidbits/steamfaq.html

"Now when I say "one hour of steaming per one inch of wood" I mean one
hour of SERIOUS steam with NO interruptions."

On Jul 8, 1:48*pm, Phil Brown wrote:
I need to bend some 3/16" oak and I know enough to know I shouldn't
overcook it. Can some one give me a guideline on how long to leave it
in?
Thanks in advance,
Phil Brown

I don't know if you can find it, but Norm of the NYW did a show on
this exact subject. He bent oak into a victorian style hat and coat
rack.
Joe G

On Thu, 8 Jul 2010 12:06:23 -0700 (PDT), GROVER wrote:
On Jul 8, 1:48Â*pm, Phil Brown wrote:
I need to bend some 3/16" oak and I know enough to know I shouldn't
overcook it. Can some one give me a guideline on how long to leave it
in?
Thanks in advance,
Phil Brown

I don't know if you can find it, but Norm of the NYW did a show on
this exact subject. He bent oak into a victorian style hat and coat
rack.
Joe G

I recall that programme. From memory, didn't he split the wood,
rather than cutting it, before it went in the steamer?

On Jul 8, 6:50*pm, pete wrote:
On Thu, 8 Jul 2010 12:06:23 -0700 (PDT), GROVER wrote:
On Jul 8, 1:48*pm, Phil Brown wrote:
I need to bend some 3/16" oak and I know enough to know I shouldn't
overcook it. Can some one give me a guideline on how long to leave it
in?
Thanks in advance,
Phil Brown

I don't know if you can find it, but Norm of the NYW did a show on
this exact subject. He bent oak into a victorian style hat and coat
rack.
Joe G

I recall that programme. From memory, didn't he split the wood,
rather than cutting it, before it went in the steamer?

Pete, your memory serves you well, he did split the oak stock rather
than saw it.

Joe G

Thanks, all. I've got a nice piece of PVC pipe, not too big, not too
small, and I'll be steaming this weekend.
Wish me luck.
Phil brown

Here is one data point.

I watched a chairmaking demo where the guy "cooked" his 1" square, green
stock for an hour.

He was able to bend it to a 6" radius.

It was very cool.


"Phil Brown" wrote in message
...
I need to bend some 3/16" oak and I know enough to know I shouldn't
overcook it. Can some one give me a guideline on how long to leave it
in?
Thanks in advance,
Phil Brown

On Jul 8, 1:48*pm, Phil Brown wrote:
I need to bend some 3/16" oak and I know enough to know I shouldn't
overcook it. Can some one give me a guideline on how long to leave it
in?

Totally dependent on your heating setup and the ambient temperature.
Rough guess, 15 minutes is all you'll need if the chamber is
reasonably tight and you're putting a goodly amount of steam into the
chamber.

R

On Thu, 8 Jul 2010 12:17:05 -0700 (PDT), RicodJour
wrote:

Totally dependent on your heating setup and the ambient temperature.
Rough guess, 15 minutes is all you'll need if the chamber is
reasonably tight and you're putting a goodly amount of steam into the
chamber.

I took a seminar a Lee Valley Tools a few years ago on steam bending.
Learned that wood compresses inside the bend to form the bend (not
expands outside the bend) and that you can't uncompresses a piece of
wood so bent. Might be useful info to any new steam benders.

RicodJour wrote:
On Jul 8, 1:48 pm, Phil Brown wrote:
I need to bend some 3/16" oak and I know enough to know I shouldn't
overcook it. Can some one give me a guideline on how long to leave it
in?

Totally dependent on your heating setup and the ambient temperature.
Rough guess, 15 minutes is all you'll need if the chamber is
reasonably tight and you're putting a goodly amount of steam into the
chamber.

When you say a "reasonably tight" chamber it should be noted the chamber
really needs to be reasonably loose, so steam can readily flow. A
reasonably tight chamber will result in too little heating and too much
kindling, at least by my definition of "reasonably tight":-)

--
Jack
Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.
http://jbstein.com

On Jul 9, 8:52*am, Jack Stein wrote:
RicodJour wrote:
On Jul 8, 1:48 pm, Phil Brown wrote:
I need to bend some 3/16" oak and I know enough to know I shouldn't
overcook it. Can some one give me a guideline on how long to leave it
in?
Totally dependent on your heating setup and the ambient temperature.
Rough guess, 15 minutes is all you'll need if the chamber is
reasonably tight and you're putting a goodly amount of steam into the
chamber.

When you say a "reasonably tight" chamber it should be noted the chamber
really needs to be reasonably loose, so steam can readily flow. *A
reasonably tight chamber will result in too little heating and too much
kindling, at least by my definition of "reasonably tight":-)

Well, if the chamber isn't doing it's job, then it's being
unreasonable.

Yes, some steam has to escape.

R

On Jul 9, 10:16*am, RicodJour wrote:
On Jul 9, 8:52*am, Jack Stein wrote:

RicodJour wrote:
On Jul 8, 1:48 pm, Phil Brown wrote:
I need to bend some 3/16" oak and I know enough to know I shouldn't
overcook it. Can some one give me a guideline on how long to leave it
in?
Totally dependent on your heating setup and the ambient temperature.
Rough guess, 15 minutes is all you'll need if the chamber is
reasonably tight and you're putting a goodly amount of steam into the
chamber.

When you say a "reasonably tight" chamber it should be noted the chamber
really needs to be reasonably loose, so steam can readily flow. *A
reasonably tight chamber will result in too little heating and too much
kindling, at least by my definition of "reasonably tight":-)

Well, if the chamber isn't doing it's job, then it's being
unreasonable.

Yes, some steam has to escape.

R

Soaking a small diameter piece like that in Downy (Use a capped PVC
tube) works very well. Reusable too. No heat.

On Jul 12, 12:18*am, Robatoy wrote:
On Jul 9, 10:16*am, RicodJour wrote:





On Jul 9, 8:52*am, Jack Stein wrote:

RicodJour wrote:
On Jul 8, 1:48 pm, Phil Brown wrote:
I need to bend some 3/16" oak and I know enough to know I shouldn't
overcook it. Can some one give me a guideline on how long to leave it
in?
Totally dependent on your heating setup and the ambient temperature..
Rough guess, 15 minutes is all you'll need if the chamber is
reasonably tight and you're putting a goodly amount of steam into the
chamber.

When you say a "reasonably tight" chamber it should be noted the chamber
really needs to be reasonably loose, so steam can readily flow. *A
reasonably tight chamber will result in too little heating and too much
kindling, at least by my definition of "reasonably tight":-)

Well, if the chamber isn't doing it's job, then it's being
unreasonable.

Yes, some steam has to escape.

R

Soaking a small diameter piece like that in Downy (Use a capped PVC
tube) works very well. Reusable too. No heat.

Forgot to mention to dilute with distilled water. Some wood will
discolour.