Steam Bending: Is a Strap Neccessary?

[Benjamin Hall]

I'm going to be bending some moulding that is "V" shaped, and was wondering if this can be done without a strap. I don't see how a strap could be used, as this moulding is a "v" in crossection.

It's red oak, and at the tall part of the "v" it's 3/8" thick, and 3/4" wide. The pattern is attached. The one less sharp sharp curve is what I want to end up with, while the one with a tighter radius is what I'm planning to use as my form. The end product doesn't need to be perfectly the same as the less sharp cuve, but just in the ballpark. The curve is 14" long, and 6-5/8" in height. Do you think my ratios are pretty good? I'm guessing steam bending this piece shouldn't be a problem, seeing how small it is.

Benjamin

[Bradley Gray]

I never have a 100% success rate with bending - steam 2 or 3 pieces and use the best one.

[Charles Taylor]

You are neither guaranteed success when using a strap nor guaranteed failure when not using one. It's just that your odds are better when using the strap to keep both the inside and the outside of the bend in compression.

Is it possible to mill the V profile after bending the stock? Or to make a matching piece with a complementary profile that you can bend together with the workpiece?

[Benjamin Hall]

No, the V profile really has to be done prior to bending the stock. I guess I'll just try a couple of test pieces and see how it works.

[Jamie Buxton]

I've steam bent thin parts without a strap, and they didn't blow up. Look for stock with the fiber lines running along the part; cross grain is where it will snap.

If you steam-bend a part, and then mill away a bunch of the wood, the part's curve will change.

[paul cottingham]

Sorry if my question is obvious, but is the would cut or rived? If it's rived, it stands a much better chance of not breaking.

[Benjamin Hall]

It's cut, not rived.

[paul cottingham]

That's why it's breaking. Buy a froe, and rive it. It follows the grain then, and it won't break anywhere near as readily.

[Benjamin Hall]

Paul, I posted to try and get some advice prior to bending. I haven't tried bending any pieces yet. I would use riven wood if possible, as I've heard before that this works better, but I already have all the pieces cut that I'm planning on bending.

[paul cottingham]

Whoa. Ok, then. Well, if you don't follow the grain when you cut it, or if you don't rive it, the possibility of it breaking when you bend it, strap or no strap, is much higher.

Rived wood stands a much higher chance of bending without breaking. It's much stronger.

[Benjamin Hall]

Paul, I re-read my post and thought that it may have come across a bit abrupt; no ill meant, and I've edited the post.

[paul cottingham]

Whoops, well, then I may have over reacted a bit. I apologize.

If you have cut it already, and didn't follow the grain, you will likely suffer some failure. Definitely use a strap. In the future, use a Froe. Lee valley sells a good one for not a ton of money, I've had good luck with it. There are other, better ones out there, but it is a very good value.

Another important question: is the wood green? Or is it dried? I am assuming it's dried, so you will also have a higher failure rate as a result. NB. I know many will say dried wood will bend fine when steamed. My experience, (such as it is) is that it doesn't bend as happily as green wood. YMMV, of course.

Fortunately, green wood is often fairly easy to find in the future (and often free!) and rives and bends beautifully.

Welcome to the wonderful world of green woodworking. Careful, it's habit forming. You'll be carving spoons before you know it.

[Keith Westfall]

Or to make a matching piece with a complementary profile that you can bend together with the workpiece?

What if you cut a profile piece, and then cut it into smaller chunks/lengths, taped the back of it and then used that under your strap?

Sorry, it may be obvious that I don't steam bend...

[Bill Adamsen]

Paul is spot on. Rived and green (and/or air dried at least for sure) will result in a more successful bend.