You can use any one of several methods to bend thin wood for bent-wood boxes. But things get more difficult with thicker material (about 3/32 in.). Recently, I found a way to bend thicker stock using an ordinary clothes iron, eliminating the need for a steambox.

Start by soaking the wood overnight in water. Clamp it to your form, place a wet terry cloth over the wood and, using a clothes iron set on high, iron the wood around the form. The iron will force steam into the wood. Keep the cloth wet, take your time and concentrate on getting the shape right. As you bend the piece around the form, the wash cloth and the iron act as a caul to prevent tearout of the outer fibers.

Gary H. Johnson, Dalton, Ga.

Fine Woodworking Magazine, December 1996 No. 121

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