Its also fun to play around with on its own.
Bending wood is a two-step process: first, softening the wood, then forming it.
Steam or very hot to boiling water are good agents for softening wood.
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Wood can also be softened by creating multiple cuts on the back of the wood using a saw.
This method is called kerf-cutting.
Read on for all the instructions on how to bend wood.
Sheet materials are challenging to steam-bend because of their size.
White oak, hackberry, and red oak bend well.
Soft maple, yellow-poplar, and hard maple are poor wood species for steam-bending.
Build the Steam Box
Build a steam box to hold the wood during the steaming.
A steam box can be made of plywood or hardwood sufficiently sized to accommodate strips of wood.
Check to see that the wood does not have many knots or holes.
Tip
Wood is generally bent perpendicular to the direction of the wood grain.
Bending the wood parallel to the grain can crack the wood.
Activate the Steam Source
Turn on the steam source and bring it to boiling temperature.
A general rule of thumb is to steam wood for about one hour per 1-inch thickness.
Warning
Steam can injure you.
Be careful when opening the steam box.
Handle only with heavy gloves and use safety glasses.
Multiple incisions are created in the back of the wood with anelectric saw.
This makes the wood flexible enough to bend.
Even thick wood and large sheet goods can be bent by kerf-cutting.
For kerf-cutting, nearly any jot down of wood can be used, even composites likeparticleboard or Masonite.
Observe all of the safety requirements for working with electric saws.
Continue until you reach the end of the bend span.
Bend the Wood
have a go at bend kerf-cut wood perpendicular to the kerfs, if possible.
But you might bend the wood parallel to the kerfs, too.
Just be careful to bend the wood slowly and carefully to avoid cracking.
How to Bend Wood With Water
Manywoodworkers soak woodin scalding water to soften it.
Heating the water above 212 degrees Fahrenheit (boiling) softens the wood faster.
The softened wood is clamped into a frame and left to dry.
Test wood pieces to see if this step is necessary.
Too much soaking may saturate and soften the fibers too much, making the wood limp and unusable.
Immediately clamp the wet wood on the frame to bend before it cools too much.
This method is especially good when you gotta bend the wood sharply or create curls.
However, this method is not recommended for do-it-yourselfers.
A tight chamber must be built so that the wood can be subjected to ammonia gas under high pressure.
While its a highly effective process, set-up is difficult and the potential for injury is great.
For thicker wood, kerf-cutting is the preferred method.
Soak wood for at least 30 minutes to get a bend to it.
However, the longer the better, soak for at least one to three hours, if possible.
Use the kerf-cutting method with anelectric sawto curve a 2x4 wood plank.
