Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Feb 04, 2007 01:27am | #1

   I'm just curious--What kind of canoe, and where on a canoe are there strips of 1 x 1 cedar?  You wouldn't want cedar for gunwales, and everything I've read about cedar strip canoes uses strips about 1/4" thick that aren't steamed to make up the hull. 

   But I haven't made one yet myself, so clearly not an expert. 

1. 
   nikkiwood | Feb 04, 2007 01:57am | #5

   I just noticed your question about how to do it. I have used 4" PVC (schedule 40) for the steam chamber, with a standard PVC cap fitted to each end. In your case, you would also need a coupler fitting to join two sections of pipe for the length you need. I used the steamer mentioned in my previous post, and a section of radiator hose (any auto parts store); the steamer sat on the floor and the hose was let into the chamber by drilling a hole in one of the end caps.********************************************************
   "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

   John Wooden 1910-

1. 
   gmoney | Feb 04, 2007 03:16am | #6

   does your system allow for steam escape somewhere? is this necessary?

   Edited 2/3/2007 7:17 pm ET by gmoney

1. 
   nikkiwood | Feb 04, 2007 03:46am | #7

   Drilled ####3/8" hole on the bottom side of the pipe (at the downhill end), so condensate can run out. That's it. the LV steamers are convenient, but puny (in terms of steam output). For a 16' foot operation, you might want to rig two, one on both ends of the pipe. I'd try one first, and see how it does. There are better steam sources, but they are more expensive and complicated.********************************************************
   "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

   John Wooden 1910-

2. 
   byhammerandhand | Feb 04, 2007 01:31am | #2

   Here are a couple of places to look:

   http://www.faqs.org/faqs/woodworking/wood-bend/

   http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Manual-Wood-Bending-Laminated/dp/0941936546/sr=8-5/qid=1170541676/ref=sr_1_5/002-5015561-8254414?ie=UTF8&s=books

   You could also make a box from 1x6 stock. I would think that would provide a lot better insulation value over the 16' you need. It would also be easier to add in a dowel every 8-12" to provide a shelf for the wood to suspend it out of the precipitated water.

3. 
   Lataxe | Feb 04, 2007 01:37am | #3

   Fred,

   You can use plastic pipe to steam stuff but need to make sure it's suported in some way as it goes soft and floppy when steam-hot.  My chairmaking tutor used the 4 inch diameter grey stuff  supported on a simple plywood frame.  The frame also serves to slope the pipe so that water condensing inside can run out rather than lie in the bottom.

   A wallpaper steamer fed in the gaseous water at one end whilst a plastic plant pot with a couple of holes in the bottom served as the door/valve at the other end.  The steam pipe passed through a hole in wood bung that was duck-taped to the pipe end. The plantpot is kept in place at the other end of the pipe with an aero-elastic, which allows it to be pulled away whilst you get the wood bits in and out.

   This works for chair parts, which need about 30 minutes to an hour of steaming.  I imagine you will need to steam for a little less time with your 1 X 1ins strips.

   Lataxe

    

4. 
   nikkiwood | Feb 04, 2007 01:50am | #4

   Ditto to what lataxe said about the PVC pipe.

   Lee Valley sells a handy unit for generating steam:

   http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=42176&cat=1,45866

   ********************************************************
   "It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."

   John Wooden 1910-

5. 
   hammer1 | Feb 04, 2007 05:27am | #8

   I have a picture of a box I made. The important part of steaming is to generate enough hot billowy steam. Tea kettles just don't have the water capacity for a large box. I use them to preheat replacement water. PVC will warp but you can get quite a bit of use from it. It only takes a few minutes to make one. I use a 5 gal. metal can on a propane burner I robbed off an old barbecue. You will need to keep the lumber up off the bottom, out of any condensed water. Be cautious with steam, it can burn you badly.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

   
6. 
   QCInspector | Feb 04, 2007 09:00am | #9

   Welcome to the forum and have fun with building your canoe. Some pictures of its construction would be enjoyed if you wouldn't mind.

   WoodenBoat Magazine and their forum have a lot on steam bending that will supplement what your getting here.

   http://www.woodenboat.com/

7. 
   Lataxe | Feb 04, 2007 03:12pm | #10

   Fred,

   A couple of posters have made the point about getting enough steam - very pertinent if you have 16 foot of steamer and its made of a plastic pipe, which is not too good a heat insulator.

   You can do two things to help:

   1) Use a bigger steam generator such as the big boiler mentioned in another post.

   2) Insulate the steamer itself, so that it loses less heat and does not condense the steam to water so quickly.

   A better material for a steamer is marine ply or similar, which seems to be a good insulator of itself.  Mine is quite large but happily steams everything using just a wallpaper steamer (an electric kettle to all intents and purposes). But a 16 foot ply box would be a thing to make and manage so the pipe is probably a lot more practical (and cheaper).

   If you can find some form of chuck-out old wrappable insulation  (fibre-glass loft stuff or similar) that will be easy to apply and effective (if messy).  The bigger steam-generator is always possible but then you have to worry about fuel cost.....

   Lataxe