Steam bending advice

[Robatoy]

Forgot to mention to dilute with distilled water. Some wood will discolour.

[RicodJour]

I'd be concerned that the soap would interfere with paint/stain (gag)/ whatever finishing of the piece.

R

[Robatoy]

Regular cat lacquer worked alright. After a thorough drying, some sanding and a coat of sanding sealer. Didn't try stain.

[Phil Brown]

Details. The piece was a oak about 3 1/2" wide to trim the inside of the window and make up the gap between it and the trim on the very uneven wall. The trim piece is made from two carved twin bed head boards glued and biscuited together. It ended up being about 7 feet long. I made the box from a piece of waste ABS pipe with an inlet glued to one end and a relief hole-about

3/32"-at the other. Very important. I cut a piece of plywood to sit on the boiling pot on the stove and bored a hole to fit the inlet pipe. Nothing needed to be really close fitting and little steam escaped on the way to the box. Slope it so that when you open it you don't get a cascade of boiling water on you when you open it. Cooked it for about 9 minutes and it came out pliable and went into the form-an identical window I have yet to install-easily. Have plenty of clamps-I had 15-and at least one other pair of hands. You have about a minute to get it into shape. All in all a very satisifying experience and the result was one happy girlfriend. Phil Brown

[Phil Brown]

MDF doesn't bend this way. Kerf it. Phil Brown

[Jack Stein]

I've always understood it is the heat that allows wood to bend, and the water (steam) is mainly there to facilitate heating the wood w/o burning it. Not saying soaking in cold, soapy water will, or will not work, but for gradual bends, 3/16th thick wood can bend some with little fuss.

[Josepi]

Thanx!

Is the kerf best on the inside of the curve, outside or both?

MDF doesn't bend this way. Kerf it. Phil Brown