MICRO WAVE STEAM BENDING AND JIG

Cool Jig Kiefer

-- https://www.artisticwoodstudio.com/videos

Looking forward to the box Kiefer!
Good idea on the microwave process as well.

You place the flat piece of wood in the microwave with a bowl of water next to it ? Then remove it and bend it onto the form ? Is that how it works ?

-- Yves

Ok..neat idea! But how are you holding everything togeter when you put it in the microwave? I’m thinking you can’t put the clamps in the microwave.

-- St Augustine FL, Experience is the sum of our mistakes!

interesting project. Thanks

-- John, Colorado's (Wooden Wizard)

OK
This is how I do it .
I soak the wood in a pot of water for a day and then wrap it in a hot wet towel and place it in the micro wave oven for 2 minutes pausing at one minute for a minute and also flipping it over .
Then I run to the shop, tripping over my dog and quicklyy putting it in the jig and bending and clamping the piece while my wife is taking pictures .
I guess I should have explained this in the post .

-- Kiefer https://www.youtube.com/user/woodkiefer1/videos

I’m still LMAO!!! I should of thought of that! Nice! And thanks for setting me stright!
Would I be wrong in saying ”that’s thinking outside the box”. :)

-- St Augustine FL, Experience is the sum of our mistakes!

Tony
I love people that laugh and as far as thinking outside of the box I have to give credit to others but this steaming process sure works great and the last pieces have come out pretty good .
It’s a learning and experimenting process with some poor bends but I can still use some sections for other designs .

-- Kiefer https://www.youtube.com/user/woodkiefer1/videos

Looks like you are getting close, real close !

-- Dwight - "Free legal advice available - contact Dewey, Cheetam & Howe""

Kiefer,
I’m all for experimenting! I even do it in the kitchen when it’s my turn to cook. It’s people like you that bring good things to life. I also spend a lot of time trying to think of a better way to do things. I have tried the “Box” (microwave) a few times to dry a few small pieces of wood or melt so bees wax but I haven’t tried to do any bending YET! Thanks for your Post! It may come in handy someday!
Nice work!

-- St Augustine FL, Experience is the sum of our mistakes!

Tony try this process and I think you will be amazed how pliable the wood is and if you look at the pics in the post you will realize it because I don’t use any levers, just my hands to form the wood around the jig which at the ends has a fairly small radius .

-- Kiefer https://www.youtube.com/user/woodkiefer1/videos

Kiefer,
I will give this a try. I can’t wait to see what you make using this jig. I’m making you my buddy so I can follow your progress. You have really got me thinking now! I’m retired and alwasy looking for something new to do!

-- St Augustine FL, Experience is the sum of our mistakes!

They came out really good.

I can’t tell if you got a lot of spring back , since they are trapped between two rails in the picture.

I tried the microwave method few months ago and I had mixed results.

I moved the microwave to the shop; the wife wasn’t very pleased.

My next steam bending project will be with a steam box because of the size of the laminations.

-- Abbas, Castro Valley, CA

Tony
es retired is a good thing
and it gives you time to reap the rewards of a working life.
I am almost there Hurray !!!!!!!!!!!
Ian
Yes there is spring back on these but being in the retainer for a while it is minimal and I think I can work with it as the box will be also a retainer and if not I will change the form and make it a tighter radius .

-- Kiefer https://www.youtube.com/user/woodkiefer1/videos

Maybe if you nuked two thin pices and glued them togeter with some Titebond III in the form the work would stay put when dried? Yes? No? Maybe?

-- St Augustine FL, Experience is the sum of our mistakes!