Nov 20,  · You don't need any pressure to steam wood for bending. You don't need the caps on the pipe and you most certainly do NOT want to pressurize the PVC pipe to any degree whatsoever. All you really needed was a teakettle on a camp stove with a piece of . The PVC pipe part is the easiest part. Producing steam in a simple and economic way is where I need help. I was thinking of simply using the element from an electric kettle, but these use quite a lot of electricity - the wood must be steamed for at least an hour. I also looked at a clothing steamer, . The PVC style steam tube can be used for almost any steam bending project by using the appropriate size and length of schedule 40 PVC. Pictured is a small steam tube made from a 36" long piece of 4" Schedule 40 PVC pipe. Like the larger box, it has dowels through the center to support the workpiece. The ends are closed with regular PVC slip caps.
PVC is thermoplastic (may be more than one kind, like grades of stainless steel) and the 4" tube we used for steam bending sagged severely when hot. We had to reinforce it with an aluminum spar that we pop-riveted to the tube. Riven air-dried walnut will bend the best. Jun 04,  · Before bending kiln-dried lumber, make a soaking vessel from 4" PVC pipe and end caps. Soak the lumber for one week in a mixture of ½ cup fabric softener per gallon of water. The pieces should be end-coated to prevent excessive end-grain absorption. The Ultimate Steam Box by Mike Dunbar meets all these requirements. Using Schedule 80 PVC pipe and fittings, the pipe is impervious to steam heat, will not absorb water and will dry quickly, ready for storage in a few minutes. I made mine from 4 inch inside diameter schedule 80 PVC .

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