The Ford Barn

JoeWay · 08-10-2015, 08:10 PM

...to tell me if this will work?

The car is a '29 Tudor. The wood is the tack rail above the rear window frame to which the headliner gets attached. It is supposed to line up with the ends of the tack strips that curve around the rear corners. This one lines up pretty well on the driver's side, as shown in the first photo below looking straight up at the bottom of the wood. The next photo shows the passenger's side, which has so much curve in it that the wood is about 3/4" proud of the tack strip line. It is original wood in otherwise excellent condition, and I would very much like to save it.

I have built a fixture to use in my hydraulic press that I think will take the curve out. Photos show the fixture exploded and together, and the last photo shows the required curve drawn on the wood.

The plan is to steam the last 12"-14" in a bucket of boiling water. I've read that dry wood requires about 1 hour of steam time per inch of wood thickness, and this piece is right at 1". So, at the one hour mark I turn on the press, grab the wood and run to the press where the fixture will be clamped in place under the ram. Shove the wood in to the stop and squeeze the heck out of it. The arrow on the fixture is at the point of maximum displacement from the desired curve, and this is where I will center the ram.

Two main questions: Will sticking the end in a bucket of boiling water work, or do I need to devise a steambox? Most on-line references are showing steam boxes, but I think that may be because most people are bending pieces too big to submerge in boiling water. I need only the end pliable. And will there be any springback, or will the wood hold the shape of the fixture after it cools?

Are there any other questions I don't know to ask, or issues I should address before I attempt this?

Thanks.

Joe

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P.S. · 08-10-2015, 09:39 PM

My "real" hobby is building and flying model airplanes. In building them, end up doing lots of wood bending.

I have found that soaking wood in amonia, then putting it in a form and letting it dry that way is the best.

Steam warps the wood usually in unwanted ways, and it tends to go back after several heat cycles. Amonia bent wood stays that way forever, and does not hurt the wood.

Dennis Pereira · 08-10-2015, 10:02 PM

Wood has memory so it may want to go back to its original shape when soaked in water . As in warped .

Mike V. Florida · 08-10-2015, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P.S.

My "real" hobby is building and flying model airplanes. In building them, end up doing lots of wood bending.

I have found that soaking wood in amonia, then putting it in a form and letting it dry that way is the best.

Steam warps the wood usually in unwanted ways, and it tends to go back after several heat cycles. Amonia bent wood stays that way forever, and does not hurt the wood.

http://www.leevalley.com/us/html/05f1501ie.pdf

Here is another

700rpm · 08-10-2015, 10:44 PM

You could try ammonia. Here's one video on it. There are lots of links in Google.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z0SsAyHKzc

wrndln · 08-10-2015, 10:56 PM

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I am not sure you need to steam bend the wood you are using. I have steam bent the beltrail wood for my 29 phaeton. It was about 5/8" to 3/4" thick and about the same height. It is extremely hard to steam bend kiln dried wood. You need green wood that has not been dried. I got some green (not dried) white oak to cut in strips to bend. The wood grain has to be very straight or the wood will split when you bend it. I used a 4" PVC pipe and a wallpaper steamer to make a crude steam box. If you would like more information on how I did the steam bending, send me a PM with your email address in it.
Rusty Nelson

08-10-2015, 08:10 PM	#1
JoeWay Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Quincy CA Posts: 752	Anyone know enough about steam-bending wood... ...to tell me if this will work? The car is a '29 Tudor. The wood is the tack rail above the rear window frame to which the headliner gets attached. It is supposed to line up with the ends of the tack strips that curve around the rear corners. This one lines up pretty well on the driver's side, as shown in the first photo below looking straight up at the bottom of the wood. The next photo shows the passenger's side, which has so much curve in it that the wood is about 3/4" proud of the tack strip line. It is original wood in otherwise excellent condition, and I would very much like to save it. I have built a fixture to use in my hydraulic press that I think will take the curve out. Photos show the fixture exploded and together, and the last photo shows the required curve drawn on the wood. The plan is to steam the last 12"-14" in a bucket of boiling water. I've read that dry wood requires about 1 hour of steam time per inch of wood thickness, and this piece is right at 1". So, at the one hour mark I turn on the press, grab the wood and run to the press where the fixture will be clamped in place under the ram. Shove the wood in to the stop and squeeze the heck out of it. The arrow on the fixture is at the point of maximum displacement from the desired curve, and this is where I will center the ram. Two main questions: Will sticking the end in a bucket of boiling water work, or do I need to devise a steambox? Most on-line references are showing steam boxes, but I think that may be because most people are bending pieces too big to submerge in boiling water. I need only the end pliable. And will there be any springback, or will the wood hold the shape of the fixture after it cools? Are there any other questions I don't know to ask, or issues I should address before I attempt this? Thanks. Joe IMG_2279.JPG IMG_2278.JPG IMG_2280.JPG IMG_2281.JPG IMG_2283.JPG __________________ 1929 Tudor since 1962 Feather River A's Last edited by JoeWay; 08-10-2015 at 08:18 PM.

08-10-2015, 09:39 PM	#2
P.S. Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: California Posts: 1,696	Re: Anyone know enough about steam-bending wood... My "real" hobby is building and flying model airplanes. In building them, end up doing lots of wood bending. I have found that soaking wood in amonia, then putting it in a form and letting it dry that way is the best. Steam warps the wood usually in unwanted ways, and it tends to go back after several heat cycles. Amonia bent wood stays that way forever, and does not hurt the wood.

08-10-2015, 10:02 PM	#3
Dennis Pereira Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Georgetown Divide Kelsey ca Posts: 868	Re: Anyone know enough about steam-bending wood... Wood has memory so it may want to go back to its original shape when soaked in water . As in warped . __________________ Dennis in Kelsey ca

08-10-2015, 10:44 PM	#5
700rpm Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 5,903	Re: Anyone know enough about steam-bending wood... You could try ammonia. Here's one video on it. There are lots of links in Google. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z0SsAyHKzc __________________ Ray Horton, Portland, OR As you go through life, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole.

08-10-2015, 10:56 PM	#6
wrndln Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Lakeville, MN Posts: 5,162	Re: Anyone know enough about steam-bending wood... Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I am not sure you need to steam bend the wood you are using. I have steam bent the beltrail wood for my 29 phaeton. It was about 5/8" to 3/4" thick and about the same height. It is extremely hard to steam bend kiln dried wood. You need green wood that has not been dried. I got some green (not dried) white oak to cut in strips to bend. The wood grain has to be very straight or the wood will split when you bend it. I used a 4" PVC pipe and a wallpaper steamer to make a crude steam box. If you would like more information on how I did the steam bending, send me a PM with your email address in it. Rusty Nelson