The greater the run-off angle, the more likely the piece will break when bent. The grain should run parallel to the edges of the workpiece or “run off” the edge at a shallow angle (maximum of 1″ slope to 15″ length). Choose straight-grained lumber without knots or other defects and avoid decay (even slight spalting). Regardless of the species you use, careful board selection increases chances of successful bends. The brittleness of highly resinous tropical exotics make them unsuitable for bending. Among tropical hardwoods, mahogany gives acceptable results. Steam-bending other temperate-zone species is possible, but limit their use to gentle bends.
#STEAM WAY TO THE WOODS HOW TO#
How to Bend Wood: 6 StepsĪll temperate-zone hardwoods (chart below) steam-bend well and, in general, bend better than softwoods. With that said, what makes a hardwood ideal for bending is straight running grain with a minimum of flaws, and a moderate specific density. It is a putsy and annoying technique from my perspective. I’ve also never really had a great steam bending experience. Rob Johnstone: I’ve never had a hardwood refuse to bend when I used steam as an aid. If you can only get kiln-dried stock, prolonged soaking in salted water restores some, but not all, of the bending properties. The moisture content of the wood is critical–the greener the better. The only softwood I know that bends well is hackmatack–also known as tamarack or larch. Among hardwoods I would put ash, most of the oaks, hickory, black locust and beech in the top form. Simon Watts: There are quite a few timbers that are amenable to being bent with the aid of steam. Michael Dresdner: There are many woods that work well, including (but not limited to) hickory, oak, ash, and yew.
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