Getting Steamed

[Tom Hammond]

Well, I am making the plunge this month and am going to build two steam boxes... one out of 4" PVC pipe several feet long for bending narrow stuff, and a box that will be approximately 36"x36"x6" interior for steaming window sashes so I can remove the paint (I've seen this demonstrated... pretty amazing). I'd like to get some advice from the veterans on steaming... what steamer do I use? Which one do I get to get enough volume to make sure I can accomplish what I want?

THANKS for any advice.

[G Douglas Fowler]

I converted a 3 gallon gas can by brazing a second spout for the outlet. For the heat source I use a round propane burner that is sold for frying turkeys. I think the whole setup probably cost about $40. I connect the outlet to the box with a radiator hose.

[John Coloccia]

Has anyone tried the Earlex steamer?

[Chris Fournier]

Well, I am making the plunge this month and am going to build two steam boxes... one out of 4" PVC pipe several feet long for bending narrow stuff, and a box that will be approximately 36"x36"x6" interior for steaming window sashes so I can remove the paint (I've seen this demonstrated... pretty amazing). I'd like to get some advice from the veterans on steaming... what steamer do I use? Which one do I get to get enough volume to make sure I can accomplish what I want?

THANKS for any advice.

For that size of steam box you could use a simple electric kettle. You must simply be able to seal up the kettle spout to pipe connection - epoxy putty works well for this.

Once you get steaming more, the kettle will become tiresome. I took a broken 6 gallon air compressor, machined up a bung that accepted a 220V water heater element and then welded the the bung to the air compressor tank. Fill it up with hot water, wait half an hour and you'll have steam for hours.

PVC pipe will distort with the heat of the steam, I recommend ABS instead.

[Bob Falk]

I used an old gas can (cleaned out) for a steam vessel over a Coleman stove when I built my cedar ribbed canoe....worked great. I did find that prewetting the pieces to be steamed made bending easier with less cracking of the wood.

[Lee Schierer]

Well, I am making the plunge this month and am going to build two steam boxes... one out of 4" PVC pipe several feet long for bending narrow stuff,

Be aware that pvc will soften at about 160 degrees and steam will reach 212. Thin wall pvc may get too soft to support its own weight if your exposure time is very long.

[Dana Decker]

I have used the J-4000 Jiffy Steamer not to bad on the pocket book and works very well.


http://www.jiffysteamer.com/products/index.asp?steamerCatId=5

[Mike Cutler]

Tom

I used a metal 5 gallon gas can,and made the steam box out of aluminum faced insulalation board from Home Depot.
The box was 72" long and 10"x10". It used ~ 1/2 of a gallon of water an hour. It was heated with a turkey fryar propane burner.
The biggest cost was the gas can. I couldn't find a used metal one for love nor money, so had to buy a new metal can. About $35.00.
Lee is correct. PVC will sag under temp.
The steam box just has to hold steam while it's steaming. it doesn't need to be air tight or sealed. painted plywood ( interior) will work just fine, and can be thrown out.
Design the steam box around what you want to put in it, and remove. Buy a pair of oven mitts,and keep a set of BBQ tongs handy.

[Carl Beckett]

I have a small and relatively inexpensive steamer used for wall paper removal. I think it was about $40.

My next choice would be the electric tea kettles ( have the element built into them ). Or if you can find it, the old humidifiers were just steamers ( when I was growing up we called it the vaporizer.....)

[Tom Hammond]

Great information, guys! Thanks! I had no idea about the PVC, and the ideas on the steamer are very helpful. I was picturing something that sounds like it would be WAY oversized for what I need. I'm looking forward to getting started!

[John McClanahan]

Last week the New Yankee Workshop had an episode on steaming wood. Norm used a converted metal gas can, turkey fryer burner, radiator hose and PVC drain pipe for the steamer. Plenty of steam and it worked good.

[Chris Padilla]

Does one need to steam to bend wood? I have a piece of maple with a slight bow in it that I really want to try and flatten. So far, clamping to a flat table with a shim against the bend for a few days doesn't seem to be doing diddley. I thought maybe to immerse it in water for a day or two and then repeating the above might work. Thoughts? It is 30" long, 2" wide, and 3/4" thick and I need to flatten it more for a door panel.

[Jay Jolliffe]

I've steamed to bend a few things but never to straighten out a board....Don't know if that would work...

[Paul M Miller]

I use an old pressure cooker purchased at a yard sale. Rubber hose is attached to the pressure release spout with a hose clamp, and into a 6"x6"x48" box made from 3/4 exterior plywood. Cooker sits on a propane camp stove.

Paul