Steam Bending Equipment / Best Steamer?

[fall]

I have a project coming up that I need to build a steam box. What are you folks using as far as materials for the box and what unit or kind are you using to great the steam? I don’t need a large box something to bend wood about 4’’to 6’’ wide by about 4 ft long. As far as height I am thinking something about 6’’ to 8’’ high so that I can place a few planks at a time in the box. I am making a small dory boat coffee table. It will be built in the traditional lapstake planking method built on a bent frame with copper rivets to hold it together.

Thanks

[Restorer]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Wagner-705-12.../204171773 this works great and is fairly inexpensive. plus it works on wall paper. I have just been using a 6" x 4' length of pvc pipe. you do have to build in several supports because after while the pvc will sag, bend, distort. I doubt that is large enough for your app. a plain old ply box better if exterior or marine ply, may be a better approach for you. If use a one time use any old stuff will steam a few pieces. the steamer does a great job. hooks it up get it steaming and don't have to mess with kettles, hot plates, or anything else. plus auto shut off if you happen to forget an run low on water.

[waters]

+1 for the Wagner! Inexpensive and works great!

[Downwindtracker2]

Electrical heating is simple, If you have a 1400 watt tea kettle and 1400 watt wall steamer, they are going to produce the same amount. I used a couple of thrift store kettles for steam for my canoe gunnels.

[TGW]

An old expansion vessel or propane tank with a hole cut in it and a thick pipe welded to it makes a good boiler. Just fill the tank with water and connect the pipe to the bottom of the steambox and make a woodfire under the tank.

The traditional and very easy way of making the box is from tongue and groove boards with chocks on the outside to keep it together. A few battens inside to keep the steamed planks off the bottom of the box. If you have wide enough boards you could just use one board for each side of the box. Usually one would make a bottom in one end of the steambox and plug the other end with a worn out pair of trousers. Wood insulates a bit and helps keep the inside hot enough so a wooden box doesn't need any insulation. Just make sure the stembox is well enough supported. Mine got steam bent over time and has a distinct banana shape.

Just as a side note...... before cutting or welding a propane tank make sure that you do it in a safe manner.

[rayknight]

The Wagner wallpaper steamer work great, easy to store, quick to boil, inexpensive (I have two I got for $25-30 used on craigslist). more efficient (not steam leak at heating vessel).
And the snake coffin (Curtis Buchanan's term) should have small vent holes (bottom to drain condensed water) and top (to allow fresh steam moving through) Mine is a 6" plastic pipe, the holes are 1/8".

[oakey]

fall
I also use the Wagner wall paper steamer just because it is so simple to hook up and use
and I use PVC pipe for smaller items
but 6x8 inch area you need a larger box for one time use what ever solid wood you have on hand ply/OSB will come apart pretty quick with the steam
not long ago some one posted a person just wrapping the wood in a plastic bag and adding steam so simple no box building and size only limited to finding larger bags
Lee valley has a nice free booklet on steam bending worth the effort to read [on line or printed]

[jasfrank]

Years ago I made a box of 1/4" aluminum. It was 12" x 10" x 8' long. I hinged the top the long direction. I cut it from a 4'x10' sheet I salvaged from a scrap dealer. That would have lasted forever. But I used it so infrequently and it took up so much space that after a few years I sold it to someone who seen it and wanted to buy it. Now when I have a need for bent parts I usually laminate them. I agree with the above poster that a large wooden box would get out of shape in a hurry.

[Daniel S]

Here's a link to the bag video. https://youtu.be/--iPQIwSEJM

[fall]

Thanks for all the info. I think the Wagner may be the way to go for this small project. I posted on another forum and I had someone give me this link for plans to build a box as well.

http://go.rockler.com/tech/42826-Steam-Box.pdf

Thanks