Gregg Germain wrote in message ...
William R. Watt wrote:
: Brian Nystrom ) writes:

: When I've soaked wood, all it did was make is swell so it no longer fit
: where it was supposed to, such as in a mortise. Either that, or if it
: was trimmed to fit after steaming, it shrank as it dried and became
: loose. Soaking didn't seem to make any difference in the bend-ability of
: the wood.

: softwoods would have more of a tendancy to swell. TF Jones writes that a
: nice piece of 15-20 year old oak needs soaking before steam bending.

Well you usually would prefer to steambend oak that was freshly cut
down int eh forest because it's moisture content is high. The Vikings
(and others) used to take freshly riven oak stock and submerge them
in a bog to keep them wet until they were used. But there, they were
trying to retain moisture - not add it in.

I dont' see where soaking 20 year old oak is going to make much
difference.


: A 1"x1" piece of clear oak properly steamed can be tied in a knot. Not
: something I've ever tried.

Hav eyou ever SEEN this done? With what length of wood? How tight a
knot?

I bend white oak for boat ribs all the time and they never get that
flexible.



--- Gregg

My woodworking projects:


Replicas of 15th-19th century nautical navigational instruments:

http://home.comcast.net/~saville/backstaffhome.html

Restoration of my 82 year old Herreshoff S-Boat sailboat:

http://home.comcast.net/~saville/SBOATrestore.htm

Steambending FAQ with photos:

http://home.comcast.net/~saville/Steambend.htm



"Improvise, adapt, overcome."

Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Phone: (617) 496-1558

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I think some of the folks here are forgetting that it is the heat, not
the moisture that allows the cell walls to get soft. See Greg, I have
read your pages Anyway, I think the steam helps in delivering that
heat in a even, manageable fashion. I have heard of folks bending
without steam, just heat but I have not tried..
Scotty... still with tail between legs...