Oddly enough,a guy named Marcel started working with us about the time
this thread started and if it's the same guy, he's not worth getting
too excited about.I'll whack him with a 2x4 tomorrow just in case he
is the same person.
I've bent up to 1/4" thick pieces of wood with just heat only
useing water to keep it from scorching.With a piece of pipe in a vise
and a torch to heat it up,then rocking or sliding the wood back and
forth under as much pressure as feels like just short of breaking,a
point is reach where the wood becomes elastic and will bend very
easily.
What I wanted to post though about bending wood was an article I
remember seeing in Fine Woodworking a loooong time ago(+ or - a
decade) about useing anhydrous ammonia to bend wood and they had a
picture of something like a 2x2 oak stick tied in an amazingly tight
knot.I'm sure it would have an application for wooden boat building (I
like fiberglass) especially where bigger chunks of wood are used.As
far as the ammonia goes,it's the kind farmers use to fertilize their
fields by injecting it as a liquid.If you happen to inhale it you
immediately wonder who took your lungs and when are they going to
bring them back as you need them RIGHT NOW! A respirater with the
correct cartridges is handy to have.