# Bending Wood



## Lacumo (Aug 18, 2013)

Somewhere in my SSF studies, I thought I ran into a video on bending wood here. I've looked (I think) everywhere that it could be--Newbie Questions, General Slingshot Discussion, Tutorials--and I couldn't find it. I also tried the search function (steaming wood, bending wood and steam bending wood) with no luck. I may have gone bug-eyed and gone right past it in my search, but I just can't find it now that I'm looking for it. I know there are a number of videos in YouTube, but the one that I think I remember (?) was specifically about steam-bending wood pieces for slingshot forks.

Could somebody please clue me in--- Where can I find what I think I remember--or is my memory playing tricks on me? Thanks.


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

If anybody is bending wood around here it is wingshooter. His bentwood caddys are awesome. I feel like I've seen something he did a while back. Can't search well on the phone though... Good luck.


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## JonM (Aug 17, 2013)

hey there,

if it's your memory playing tricks on you, you might want to google steam bending wood, or try some woodworking websites. you can find plans for the steamer or pick one up @ Rockler. the steamer box is mostly a long wood box, galvanize or pvc pipe with a door & vent for the steam.most guys can build one in less than a day. i saw one guy had a propane turkey cooking stand with a modified metal gas can (new, not used) piped to the box. the trick will be building the bending frame to what you need, set up for 1-2 man use depending on the complication of the bends. working time for the steamed wood appears to be somewhat short, so having everything set up ahead of time will be the key. it would make a nice starship i'll bet with multiple wood laminates. the steamer set up is something i've been thinking about but don't currently have the time to mess with. i'm in the middle of several pre winter projects.

hope it helps!


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

I've done some bent-wood shooters, but haven't shown them here yet.

There are several methods, but steam is probably the best. Steam from a kettle or coffee machine or steam cleaner is good. Pipe it into a chamber big enough for your strips. Thinner strips are quicker and easier to bend for obvious reasons. I use 3mm (1/8") strips most often. Same as guitar sides.

Steam it until soft, wrap it around your former/mould, clamp/tie/strap/wedge and leave it to cool and dry. Once it is properly dry you can take the strips apart, apply glue and re-clamp.

Alternatives - guitar style wood benders use wet wood and a heated pipe. The strips are manually bend around the hot pipe.

Model aircraft skins are often bent in a hot solution of ammonia cleaning fluid, which softens the fibres.

Something to not is that some wood bends better than others. Oak is great, but limba burns and cracks before it takes a shape.


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## e~shot (Jun 3, 2010)

you mean this video?


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

e~shot said:


> you mean this video?


Eshot you da man!!!! The video I was thinking of. On point my friend. You're on point


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## Lacumo (Aug 18, 2013)

E-shot---You got it! That's the one I remembered and was looking for. The printed text (instead of a spoken narrative) and the electric frying pan are two details I remembered clearly. I thought it was here (not YouTube), so no wonder I had a hard time trying to find it...

I like the electric frying pan technique -- minimal cash outlay ($8 @ Goodwill Industries); minimal space required; easy/quick/cheap to fire up and use; perfect size for slingshot fork pieces, etc.

Thanks a ton for your help.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Handy things, them used kitchen goods!

I tried an electric frying pan for HDPE, but the sandwich press was better. I must remember this for the next bent wood attempt.


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## Lacumo (Aug 18, 2013)

Hit the local Goodwill store today... Electric frying pan ($7) + stainless wire steaming rack ($3) = $10 for the complete wood-steaming equipment set and it fits easily onto a kitchen cabinet shelf.

I'll be limited to steaming only small pieces of wood but I'm only doing SS frame components, so that's OK. Thanks again, E-shot -- You got me started!


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## JetBlack (Mar 9, 2012)

I've seen this process, definitely takes some muscle and good clamps. Wingshooter has nice solid wood forms too...


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