Steam bending red oak?

[Jeff]

Hi all.

I'm making up a new kitchen and have most of the work done and ready to go. Cabinet fronts are red oak and poly. I'd like to finish it off by trimming some curves in 1" red oak too, for end-shelf units 3/4" deep and the end of the worktops 2" deep, that are exposed in the galley style kitchen. Now I had planned to do it in several sections glue up and cut the radius with router jig, but Here's The Question;

Could I steam the red oak to shape? and if so will it significantly change the color bearing in mind it will be the same material and finish that the rest of the kitchen is made from? The other alternative is to strip laminate it?

thnx..

[George]

I'd laminate. Bending kilned wood is hit or miss, in my experience. Red oak can be matched pretty easily with its coarse grain.

[Jim Polaski]

Steam bending can work. You can make the steam chest from PVC pipe with the screw on ends. and you can fashion an inlet to attach a steam generator.

Norm(TOH and NY) showed the set up on video during a show. Regrdless, try here:

STEAM BENDING

BENDING- from Lee Valley tools-Three booklets online and shows how to make everything. Bending and bending wood for the hobbyist.