Steam bending question/survey.

[Dave Wermuth]

Hello, I've decided to not experiment with cedar as a stem wood. But I do have a question on steam bending. I soak before steam bending. I generally soak cedar ribs overnight before bending ribs. Stems get soaked for a week. What do you do for bending stems? I have oak and cherry blanks cut. Is a week overkill? Do you not soak?

Is there a general consensus on how long to soak stems prior to steam bending?

Thanks
Dave

 

[MGC]

Cedar overnight. Oak and other hardwoods at least three days and generally longer.
Maybe the wizard of bending will chime in. Rollin has a video!

I think it is possible to entera new post as a poll......never done it but the option is there if you want to try it.

 

[patrick corry]

My bending experience is limited, although I have bent ash stems and outwales as well as cedar ribs.

My first ash stem bend failed with 3 days pre-soak, and the second attempt succeeded with 1 day pre-soak but hotter steam (at the top rack of the steam box, in what Mr. Thurlow called the “good” steam).

3/4” x 1” ash outwales had zero pre-soak and bent beautifully with the steam in bag method.

Ribs bent easily with only a thorough water immersion prior to going in the steam box.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

I think of the wood as taffy when I get it up to temp.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Update: I am sad to report/confess that all three of my stem blanks failed yesterday. The two oak boards bent fine but developed a split along the edge. They were old boards that were sawn probably in the 40's or 50's and stored in a garage attic. The Cherry was from my tree and the grain was curvy. I did not expect it to succeed. It folded with the first bit of pressure. I'll be getting some green ash or elm from a local hobby sawyer. I may even risk trying cedar after all. The blanks were 7/8 x 2 x 48. It keeps me humble. I should've known. The casualties are still on the three forms.

 

[Dave Osborn]

Certainly you are using a strap? Try splitting the wood before steaming and bending, but bend them at the same time.
Ash always works well for me. Can only think of a couple failures over the years.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

I am using a strap. Getting to fit tight is a challenge. Ash works way better for me too.. I did elm once and it went good too.

 

[Ed Moses]

Dave,

If your sawyer has some white oak, you might consider trying that. Do not bother soaking as the cellular structure of w. oak is such that it will not absorb moisture.

 

[ALCEDO ATTHIS]

why driying wood if you want to bend it ? how is Willow basket weaved ?
in france to restore the old water mill we use green wood , so no cracks
( no bending for for explain but water contact ) and for the stem canoe , as I read , the natives dont' change the stem after a crack
it is more stong after , what as been broke dont broke twice
sorry for the mistake , the frenchie how want to post without google ... (and the school is so far)

 

[Worth Gretter]

Dave, after mine split I broke down and laminated them. I slit the blanks in thirds (i.e. two cuts) and left the straight section (toward the center of the boat) uncut. Only after it was successfully bent and glued did I cut the correct contour on it.
The laminations don't show at all, because of the shape of the stem.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

I have laminated stuff in the past with success. But this failure is from questionable stock in the first place. Ash bends well for me. And yes bark canoes have stems that are intentionally split part way. I'll go back to the cedar and mess with it just out of curiosity. But I also will get some fresh ash or elm and maybe even green. If I had done it right in the first place I would not have had trouble.

 

[David Satter]

I either soak and use oak or laminate. I think I have a photo of a laminate with epoxy. That photo was for a penn yan trailboat. I like laminating their always nice and straight when you clean them up.

 

[Worth Gretter]

Dave, I will be very interested to know if you get better results with the fresh or green wood.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Pretty much a sure thing.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Update: I milled a cedar board and a hardwood board. Ash I thnk. They both bent easily. One of the oak stems that split is able to be saved, it wasn't too bad. That's the news from cornfield county.

 

[David Satter]

Something a little green works best. But if you soak a few days and the grain is nice either should work fine. I was at the Wooden boat show in Mystic all weekend. Great show , saw Jim Clearwater their and all the strip built companies with their canoes. George Kirby and Epifanes were there.
Ross bros. is always there with tons of stuff. But the prices he asks for even the small things are more than I can pay