"William R. Watt" wrote in message
...


Ahem, cedar is a softwood and steam bends well. Used for ribs in native
canoes. Don't know about pine. Why not try steam bending it and see? With
these softer woods you'd want to make the ribs at least 10% thicker than
hadrwood ribs.

I wonder the OP does not consider spruce.
It's used in houses, is strong, and is in plentiful supply.
He'd have to pick through the pile at the lumberyard to get a piece with
mostly straight grain and free of big knots.

I agree, when planking traditional lapstrake and having to fit into a tight
bend I steam Western red cedar with good results.
Probably the primary concern is whether the wood you are using is air dried
or kiln dried. I understand that in kiln dried wood the cells tend to
collapse. I know that kiln dried teak does not bend well, but air dried teak
does.

The OP should also be careful when steam bending to bend 'with the edge
grain'
like this ))))).

I wouldn't use spruce for frames due to the potential for rot. However....I
wonder how pressure treated softwood would take a steamed bend ?
As the cells are already forced open with the perservative this may
facillitate steam penetration or maybe inhibit it.
Anyone tried this ?

...Ken / Island Teak