Bending picture rail

The standard technique is to saw lots of slots from the back nearly all the way through, curve the rail which squishes up the slots, fix, then fill all the holes and sand down. 30cm is a bit tight though and the profile of the picture rail may make this difficult. I should buy plenty extra for mistakes.

Combination of vertical cuts to the rear at say 20mm spacing and steam from an iron. I've done similar with kitchen cabinet pelmets successfully.

Weight or otherwise form curve gradually and reheat/steam.

Though wood bending is typically done in sealed steam pressure vessel which would naturally yield better results.

-- Mike W

Are you painting the rail?

If so, you might get away with cutting lots of slots in the back and filling afterwards, although 30cm radius is pretty tight, so the rail might still snap.

Christian.

Yes i'm painting the rail, so it looks like the general suggestion is to saw slots on the back.

I'll give it a go and report back.

Thanks!

If that fails try homemade steam box, bit of down pipe wallpaper stripper etc etc remember there's no need to steam the entire length just the area round the bend

Try searching boat building , boat builders steam and bend all the time and much bigger timbers than picture rail

HTH

Steve

anyone know where you can GET ammonia these days???

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote | anyone know where you can GET ammonia these days???

I saw it in Boots the Chemist's household section a few weeks back.

Owain

I think you can still get .880 from wood finishing wholesalers. There is no way you can work with this stuff, let alone heat it. Fumed oak used to be left in a sealed chamber IIRC

Ta muchly..

Huh? I know its nasty, but in a warm seald box its not that bad..

Fumed oak used to be

yerrs. I am not going to be useing large parts.

Tupperware box should do it.