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build-a-steam-bending-box-app To accommodate the Lee Valley build a steam bending box app, I propped one end of the box on a block 9 in. The interior of the steam box should be large enough so that when you load it up with wood there will still be an inch of space around the wood so that the steam can get to the wood. DeneB4 Question 3 years ago on Introduction. Nail or screw the 4 sides together. Finding the hole at the far side by feel is tricky.

We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. I bought my kettle from Lee Valley see Source, below. It came with an aluminum pipe to direct steam into the box. Any electric kettle with a cylindrical spout for inserting a pipe or attaching a hose will do. The pipe enters at an angle, so make the hole oblong photo, below left.

Attach guide blocks to help direct the pipe into the hole after you refill the kettle. Drill a tight-fitting hole for a meat thermometer near one door. It should remain above degrees throughout the steaming cycle. One end should be higher to ensure that condensation flows to the drain holes. To accommodate the Lee Valley kettle, I propped one end of the box on a block 9 in. Then I attached the legs.

Add two-piece doors to the ends. One piece is a cap; the other is a plug. I used large brass hinges to hang the doors. Add screen door hooks to keep the doors shut as you steam away. The kettle must be refilled now and then during the steaming process; two guide blocks help position the pipe when you re-insert it in the hole. That is hot enough for the three foot steambox I use and just hot enough for the 8 foot steam box. Since first writing this Instructable, I have gotten my hands on a wallpaper steamer.

It works much better than boiling water on a hotplate, mostly because it runs at a higher wattage and puts out more heat. If you can get a used one, go for it. Cut the plywood to the dimensions that you need. The interior of the steam box should be large enough so that when you load it up with wood there will still be an inch of space around the wood so that the steam can get to the wood.

Nail or screw the 4 sides together. Close off one end of the box. Leave the other end open. Screw a piece of plywood that is 4 inches wider than the diameter of your cooking pot to the capped off end of the steam box.

Cut a hole in the center of the piece of plywood so steam can get from the cooking pot into the steam box. Drill some holes in the side of the box to run your wire supports through. Keep the holes the same diameter as the wire to minimize the amount of steam that escapes or the need to do a lot of caulking. The wires will elevate the wood in the box so the steam can get to all sides of it. Cut wires 4 inches longer than the diameter of the box.

Run the wire through the holes and bend over the ends so the wires don't fall out. Finding the hole at the far side by feel is tricky. Shine a light in the open end of the box and look through the hole that you are aiming the wire for. When the light disappears, you have found the hole. Set your pot up on the heater that you will be using. Screw some legs to the sides of the open end of the box so that it is level with the top of the pot.

The level steam box is important so that the lid of the steam box makes a good seal with the top of the cooking pot. If you're not that ambitious, you can just pile stuff under the open end of the steambox to raise it to the right elevation. When you're all set, fill your pot two thirds full of water, turn on the heater and wait for the water to boil. After the water has come to a boil, the steam box still takes a little while to heat up.

Once you get a good flow of steam coming out of the end of the box, you're ready to heat and bend. One quarter inch thick ribs heat up in under 5 minutes. Thicker stock takes longer. Heat has to travel from the surface of the wood to the interior. Keep in mind that some woods bend better than others. White oak, red oak, ash and poplar all bend well. Straight grain is important as well. If you have rain running out of the face of the board, your wood will most likely break where the grain runs out.

It's really easy to leave on the heat when you're done bending wood. Eventually, the water all evaporates, the pot becomes hot and the plywood starts smoking.

Good way Build A Steam Box For Bending Wood War to start a fire. The placement of the wire could be made easier by drilling of the holes and placing the wire As you assemble the steambox rather than after screwing the box together.

Question 2 years ago. I have parts and pieces at my disposal that would allow me to make a steam tube that would SAFELY hold psi of pressure in the tube. That's my theory anyway. I was wondering if you know of anyone who has tried this approach?

Am I wasting time? The wood I want to bend is approximately 1" thick. Any suggestions or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Answer 2 years ago. Waste of time.

The most important factor is moisture content of the wood - the higher the moisture content the lower temp is required to loosen the bond between the lingin and fibers allowing the wood to be bent.

Putting a higher flow of steam or more constant, uniform coverage into the box might be a cheaper way of speeding it up. But speeding it up too much might not turn out well - just like turning the oven up to cook food quicker. Question 3 years ago on Introduction. Could a steam box be used to straighten a warped guitar neck?

I would think that a box could be constructed that would contain only the neck portion that needs to be straightened, and which allows the guitar body and the head where the tuning pegs are to extend out opposite ends of the box. Would there be an easier way? Also, it might be tricky to get it to cool to retain a true and straight shape. A straight jig would be important I'm sure.

Anything else? Or is the whole idea just a waste of time, trying to fix something that is already toast? Thanks, pquin3. Reply 3 years ago. I saw a technique for bending the sides of the body of a musical instrument using a wet rag around a large soldering iron. The wood is worked back and forth across the saturated cloth covered iron while applying pressure to bend it around the iron.

I haven't actually tried this but it seemed like a good way to only apply the steam to the area of the bend. Reply 10 years ago on Introduction. The question I would ask would be, what caused the neck to warp in the first place? If it started out straight, then warped, then is steamed back into position, what will stop it from warping again?

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