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steam bending a spindle turning

Started by Dan_Shade, October 15, 2012, 10:00:00 PM

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Dan_Shade

Have any of you guys tried to do this?  I have an idea to make a lamp with a bent shaft.
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

pasbuild

If it can't be nailed or glued then screw it

Dan_Shade

that's what I thought.  I want to make an S-curve, but I want it round, with a hole drilled through the axis
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

Lud

Good luck with that......

Wood to be bent usually is split or rived so that fibers are all going the same way without shorts or cross grain.  The steam lets fibers compress or stretch , under pressure to then cool into a new shape that always rebounds to some extent.

A drilled cylinderical , smooth, straight grained spindle is a tube. A tube bender suggests itself but , IMHO, the void will collapse.

Now....rive it, turn it, bend it into your S, then slice it length wise  on a bandsaw, route a hollow down the two lengths and glue it back together might work.

Like I said at the start........good luck with that. ;) ;)
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

SwampDonkey

When it dries it will also go oval if you start green. It may also check and split. And the hole bored will likely collapse when bending as Lud said. If you steam it real thorough and it's straight grain it will be just like plastic in your hands. But if there is a lot of resistance than it won't work. Don't attempt using kilned wood, use air dried or green and steam it at least 2 hours per inch and that's with steam bellowing out the steam box. Never know until you try. I've steam bent lots of air dried ash.  :) Have a former ready to secure the bends, you have very little time, work fast. ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Dan_Shade

this is brainstorming/experiment, so no big deal if it won't work :-)

I was thinking I could fill the hole with bb's and plug the ends to try to keep the hole open.....
Woodmizer LT40HDG25 / Stihl 066 alaskan
lots of dull bands and chains

There's a fine line between turning firewood into beautiful things and beautiful things into firewood.

Dakota

How about putting the wire through, and then steam and shape it?
Dave Rinker

Jemclimber

Quote from: Dan_Shade on October 16, 2012, 07:20:05 AM
this is brainstorming/experiment, so no big deal if it won't work :-)

I was thinking I could fill the hole with bb's and plug the ends to try to keep the hole open.....

That's one way to bend largerish metal pipe. fill with sand and cap or weld the ends before bending, might work.
lt15

grweldon

Quote from: Dakota on October 16, 2012, 07:51:57 AM
How about putting the wire through, and then steam and shape it?

I think this is a great idea!
My three favorite documents: The Holy Bible, The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution of the United States.

pineywoods

Quote from: Dakota on October 16, 2012, 07:51:57 AM
How about putting the wire through, and then steam and shape it?
If you try that, be careful what kind of insulation is on the wire. Plastic will melt and deform under pressure.
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
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Tree Feller

I think I would bend it into shape, slice it in two at the bandsaw, rout the groove with a laminate trimmer or a scratch stock and glue it back together.

It might require a little work with a spokeshave and sandpaper to get it back perfectly round.

Edit In:  Lud I just saw that you suggested the same thing.
Cody

Logmaster LM-1 Sawmill
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SwampDonkey

I think that would be a mighty tricky procedure.  ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

wheelinguy

How  about steam bending the s shape and then using a straight piece of accent wood or stainless steel tube and drill down through the s and use straight bit to hold the whole thing upright on a base and fish the wire through that?

Lud

Use two pieces of accent wood in  parallel  , straight vertical , through  the S and you'll get a dollar sign! 8)
Simplicity mill, Ford 1957 Golden Jubilee 841 Powermaster, 40x60 bankbarn, left-handed

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