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Thread: Steam bending Oz timbers
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21st July 2016, 12:27 PM #16SENIOR MEMBER
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You might be interested in this person, Don O'Connor. He has a steam bending business in or near Daylesford, called The Timber Benders. I met him at his site at the Lost Trades Fair. He has a very interesting website, well worth a visit.
Cheers
Brendan
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21st July 2016 12:27 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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22nd July 2016, 10:40 AM #17Senior Member
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I don't know of any sources down your way. It only grows on the north coast of NSW, and up into Qld. Denman Marine might know. They have done a fair amount of steam bending in their time. Or you could just try a hoi! in the timber forum here. Somebody might have a bit that's still green.
Come to think of it, I think celery top pine is a good bending wood, IIRC. Might be impossible to get these days though.
Blackwood is another one that has a good reputation. Should be able to get some of that in Tassie.You know you're making progress when there's sawdust in your coffee.
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12th November 2016, 03:49 PM #18SENIOR MEMBER
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If you've read the post under "sad news" then you will be aware that Don and Sue were killed in a car accident not long ago. They were known as the timber benders.
Some of their equipment came from Tasmania, which was used to bend sizeable timbers in the early part of last century. Probably a lot of one design yachts had their coach houses bent on this equipment.
Commiserations to their family and friends and may their passion continue.
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12th February 2017, 12:29 PM #19
In my early days I was a boat builder working on boats up to 100' and we bent a lot of timber. We boiled it in old steel chimneys lying at about 30deg and built a fire at the lowest point, The water was always black from the sap and of course turned the timber black as well. If we wanted to bend timber for cabinetry, we used a smaller pipe with clean water. Time was a case of suck it and see however you did get a feel for it.
The best timber you can use by far is yellowood (flindersia xanthoxyla). Once boiled or steamed goes like a piece of rubber but is very strong once cooled.
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13th February 2017, 12:51 PM #20SENIOR MEMBER
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Thanks trev coast, is yellowwood still readily available and where does it grow
Cheers.
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13th February 2017, 02:51 PM #21
Yellowood is still available
I can buy it from Kirby Fine Timbers on the Sunshine Coast. You may have to ask them if they send it to anyone down your way. I know they do a lot of other timber for pro instrument makers in Victoria.I am not sure of the range it grows in but I know it is local to our area.
Trevor
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7th July 2018, 11:56 AM #22New Member
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Just jumped on as I am about to try and steam bend some Vic Ash and blackwood and saw your post Huon. I have my fathers and Uncles ski's from the early 30's and they used spotted gum for a tip repair on the Canadian Maple ski's. I have a pair of locally made ski's too but unfortunately I don't know the timber and we lost dad in 2014. In the 1950's/60's they started laminating the ski's using Hickory with a pine centre under the bindings - I think one of the guys from the club still has the old clamps.
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