{"id":9641,"date":"2017-02-18T17:38:50","date_gmt":"2017-02-18T15:38:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/revistadinlemn.ro\/?p=9641"},"modified":"2024-03-07T11:38:08","modified_gmt":"2024-03-07T09:38:08","slug":"and-diy-enthusiasts-can-steam-and-bend-wood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/revistadinlemn.ro\/en\/2017\/02\/18\/si-pasionatii-de-bricolaj-pot-aburi-si-curba-lemnul\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY enthusiasts can also steam and bend wood"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wood has natural elasticity and plasticity. When subjected to treatments it becomes very flexible, can be molded into various shapes, and when conditions cease, it retains its new shape. One such treatment is steaming, which we talked about in the article on Thonet chair<\/a>. I thought I'd come back to it to show you that you don't need a factory to get steamed wood, and the things you can get are simply charming.<\/p>\n

I was saying that to make wood more flexible, it needs to be steamed. To do this, its natural elasticity and the way it has been cut must be taken into account. Elasticity is expressed by the modulus of elasticity, which is the force required to deform the wood (until breakage occurs), in relation to the surface. With the modulus of elasticity we can observe the differences between species in terms of elasticity. Wood is more flexible the lower the deformation force required.<\/p>\n

\"steamed
photo source: wood-database.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Elasticity also depends on the density of the wood - the denser the wood, the less flexible it is, but also on the direction of the fiber. A piece of wood is more elastic along the grain than perpendicular to the grain.<\/p>\n

\"steamed
photo source: woodweb.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It should also be noted that once the wood begins to cool by removing the steam source, the wood returns to its original elasticity. This means that it must be molded into the desired shape as soon as it comes out of the steam and held in that shape until it has cooled completely. The wood needs to be put into molds very quickly or bent to a template and kept there until it cools.<\/p>\n

\"steamed
photo source: circletreestudio.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Knowing this we can start to build our own wood steaming plant. It needs water, a source to heat it to boiling, an enclosure for the wood and a way to get the steam into the enclosure. I think the simplest is to see the diagram below.<\/p>\n

\"steamed
photo source: wonderfulwoodworking.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It looks complicated at first glance, but it's not. Don't think that everything has to be very airtight, or that you need to have systems inside the box to release steam evenly. You can start with simpler installations and perfect them over time. Does the box below still look as complicated to you?<\/p>\n

\"steamed
photo source: popularwoodworking.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For the wood to become elastic you need to steam it for one hour for every 1 inch of thickness, at a steam temperature of 100-105 degrees C. I know, it sounds like a lot, but don't take it as a letter of the law, it can be done a bit faster. Plus, 1 inch thick is quite a lot. If you start with thinner pieces of lumber the time will reduce considerably.<\/p>\n

For those who have been scared off, thinking it's all very complicated, there are simpler methods. In the video below you will see how by simply using a plastic bag instead of a wooden box he managed to bend a rather long piece of wood.<\/p>\n