Bending teak strip

[whiteoaks7]

I need to bend 25mm x 6mm teak lipping into a radius of about 100mm for table edging. Sawing half through wasn't successful (but I'm not sure how far I should saw) and a quick squirt of steam didn;t help so if steaming is the answer can someone give me details eg how long?

 

[dean1973]

are you trying to bend it all the way around 100m how big is the table steam in a soil pipe with papper striper the longer the better 20 30 mins

 

[whiteoaks7]

Thanks Dean - bend is about 25% of a circle

 

[dean1973]

quessing table is not round steaming will work just give time longer as the bend is tight try 40 mins you wont have long to get it in place as its only 6mm it will go round without cuting

 

[pappaecho]

I had a similar problem, but the sort of teak strip found in DIY sheds will not bend in that way. If it is proper teak strip then your will need to give it a lot of steam time, and I suggest that you bend in round some sort of former made with 6 inch nails in a chunk of old railway sleeper, to get a rough bend, and then doa second steaming to get it to fit the table properly

 

[Noddy]

You could try laminating.

 

[Guest]

We had a teak toe rail which was wonderfully steamed and curved to the boat. It sat on the boat for 33 years. I took it off, and within 10 minutes it was a straight as the original tree.

My message is that if you actually make it around a 4" curve it will spend all its energy over the next few years trying to get off. Make sure you can persuade it to stay.

(PS. I would route the corner out of solid or make a pretty multi section piece with 4 think strips glued together and then shape it. Or just layer veneers as has been suggested)

 

[yoda]

I found that thickness very difficult to work, lots of steam (or hot water) will help or take some of the other options (laminating, make up from a solid piece, use thinner strip). I found about 3mm was the most you could bend round that radius dry.

Yoda

 

[billskip]

steam steam and steam..I built a steam box (back in the days when dad was a lad) and built my own boat and had to bend 1.1/4" sq x 7 foot long oak for the ribs.

Hours and hours and a lot of kettle filling did the trick ..the oak came out and you could almost tie a knot with it..bloody hot tho /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif and you have to work it as soon as it comes out of the steamer. gloves are necessary .

 

[srp]

Call me a prophet of doom if you like, but my experience of steaming makes me think you'll be lucky to get that sort of radius, particularly with teak. You might be lucky if the wood is very straight grained and you use a backing strap ( a piece of stainless strip is ideal) and a proper bending jig. Ash is the easiest wood to steam bend, and the backs of Windsor chairs is about the tightest you can get with that.
If it was me I would laminate it from 4 pieces or machine it from solid.

 

[Drascomber]

Teak does not respond very well to steaming. I steamed a 25mm thick strip to raise my mainsheet horse off the deck - over a gentle curve of about 12ft radius. I steamed it for hours - nearly to mush. Two of us managed to bolt it down but it was still a candidate for the world foot bow chanpionships and it persisted in trying to straighten the deck out so I had to resort to lamination in the end before it broke the boat.

 

[robind]

Lamination is probably better or steaming inside a square ply box with a former mounted so that as it starts to soften you can tighten up the cramps or whatever progressivly bending it in situe around the former you are using. Put it in "pergatory" too, ie bend it a little tighter than you actually want about 10% ? depending how tight the curve is. do the same thing if you laminate it too and glue it togeather when its dry and "the right shape" alternatively buy a short piece of teak plank ( offcut there is plenty out there) and run a router around on a centre i.e. mount the router on a 50mm piece of 6 mill ply about 350 mm long and cut your inner and outer radiuses (placing your centres through the ply at the appropriate centres, maybe using a small screw as the pivot ) with about 6 cuts finishing with a full fine cut to "plane" the finish? Just a thought remember its not the curve that will make the job look good but the tangential cuts where it joins the straight sections so take care with them, use a gent saw or even a junior hacksaw. (Just my opinion you understand) Oh! I would also use an epoxy glue such as araldite to stick it but keep it off the face of the veneer or whatever! best of luck /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif