Steam bending

[DC]

I spent another day trying to get a nice recurves in an Ocean Spray stave. I used green wood this time. Up til now I've tried dry wood with and without a strap, green wood with and without a strap. Dry wood that I soaked for a few days. Thin wood(1/2"). The belly always fails. I'm trying for about a 3 1/2" radius. OS is very dense wood(SG 1.1 or so). I've found conflicting reports on the web about bending dense wood. I haven't tried different woods to test my methods. Anyone have any experience bending dense wood, Ipe maybe, or any ideas about what I might try. I can fall back on kerfing if I have to but a nice solid curve would be nice.

[DC]

I also made this device to help localize the bend to where I want it. I stole this Idea from an episode of "How It's Made" on bending French Horns

[Del the cat]

A strip of thin steel sheet on the outside of the bend will help pull it round without splintering, also need to get it from steam to jig double quick, or ideally steam it in situ on the jig. 5L plastic containers are good for allowing you to do that, they keep the steam in, but can bend round the jig like a mini disposable, flexible steam chest
Del

[DC]

That's the strap I mentioned. I clamp the strap to the wood and then steam the whole assembly. I doubt there is much more than 5 seconds from steam to bend. I tried putting the whole thing in a bag so that it was steaming while I was bending. It was a bit cumbersome and the results weren't any different.

[PatM]

 Your last option might be boiling and using a strap that can be tensioned before bending. THe TBB shows a way to do this with a small turnbuckle.

[DC]

Is there a possibility that this wood is just too dense/ hard/ whatever to bend or will anything bend if you do it right?

[upstatenybowyer]

I don't think density has much to do with it. Osage is very dense and bends like butter. HHB is less dense than osage and is one of the worst to bend in my experience.

[DC]

Osage is.76-.86 SG, OS is 1.1-1.2 but you're right it may not count. After hearing how well Osage bends I've been wondering if it's the soft early wood giving. If there was a little give between layers it would bend a lot easier.
Anyway I kerfed a piece of OS into a 3/16" and a 5/16" layer and it bent fairly easily so that may be the way I have to go. At least I can do that with dry wood. Steaming green wood means clamping it in the bent shape until its dry, maybe 6 months. It makes storing staves very cumbersome.

[upstatenybowyer]

Interesting idea about the early wood giving. I thought maybe it had to do with oil content within the wood. Osage is the "oiliest" wood I know of.

BTW I've steam bent green wood and removed it from the caul 24 hrs later and it held it's shape fine. Of course I clamped it down to avoid warping, but the steam bends didn't budge.

[Stoner]

I have had no problem using TBB method of boiling 1/4" of wood  per half hour. Metal strap on belly of bow. Start with room temp water and bring wood to boil then start timer. Be ready to bend and have clamps ready, will cool quickly. John

[DC]

I sure wish I could send you guys a sample of OS so you could try it. So far nobody has mentioned anything I haven't tried. I'll have to come up with a piece of yew or maple and see how they bend.

[Swamp Thang]

Is boiling an option?

[DC]

I haven't tried boiling. I boil splices but not tips because I can clamp splices in the kitchen. I don't have a way to boil in the shop and the kitchen is 5 -10 seconds away. I'll have to figure something out. Thanks

[gutpile]

just boil in pot on stove 30 minutes per 1/4 inch, use metal strap ,will bend like a noodle..must work quickly..I mean get the bend done within 30 seconds of removing wood..I do this and have not had any issues...gut

[mikekeswick]

It is all about the wood type (assuming perfect prep and technique!). I've never had any experience with oceanspray but have tried steam bending a lot of different types. Most dense tropical woods are a waste of time trying to steam bend. Kerfing is the only option with woods that don't like steam. whereas the best steam bending woods bend like wet noodles when treated correctly. Your set-up and methods will all work on the better steam bending woods. Reserve the strap and boiling for very tight bends.My favourite woods for steam bending are - mountain maple, European ash, cherry (prunus avium) and wych/small leaved elm. Mountain maple being the best