# Steamer



## BULLHART (Oct 30, 2006)

Apologies if this thread is redundant, as I am new to the forum.

Has anyone built their own steamer? Seams more and more I've been wishing I had one, along with a peg jig. Ive only used one, on one project during my apprenticeship. But the quality results have stuck with me over the years.


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## dwwright (Jan 15, 2007)

Been wanting to try making one. We've got an old clothes steamer that my wife retired to the basement. The plans I have just used some PVC pipe for the chamber. The peg jig was more of a grid that could be set on top of saw horses and use clamps to hold the pieces in place.

How long do you have to leave a piece set to cool before you can take it out? And what thickness can be bent easily without bandings and moulds?


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## C&D Woodcraft (Dec 1, 2006)

As for the peg jig, here's what I use http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?...ADIGIGPGMGFCAGKGJGHDADADADBDB&filter=hole jig
I've tried pegboard with a cleat, but this jig is great.


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## nywoodwizard (Oct 31, 2006)

About 10 years ago i framed out some walls for my friends new audio and video store(highend) so we did a few radius walls to give it some snap.only to realize the radius's were to tight to bend the base moulding,i got desperate,rented a steam cleaner from the tool rental,made a template clamped the moulding on tied some bricks on for weight took about an hour or so but it bent and i was saved. thank goodness for rubber moulding now(could'nt find any then).


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## ugavemewood (Jul 6, 2007)

i built a nice steamer about 12 years ago for my eskimo kayak project. Sch 80 pvc worked fine, i would recommend getting a cheap stock pot and a turkey burner for the heat source. Make sure you weigh the lid down with a heavy brick or block of wood... also the key is to NOT let pressure build up in the steamer.. put 1/2" vent holes at either end from the steam input. 

My current steam-box is made from an old ice-maker's ice tub. Because there's no compressor, the box is well suited for large wide boards.. I don't use it for bending long narrow pieces, I use it for taking warp out of potato-chipped antiqued salvaged wood. Works great combined with a flat surface and a couple hundred pounds of sand.


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## kwoodhands (May 1, 2020)

I used to build stripper canoes. I steam bent the gunnels and the seat frames. My steam box was four pieces of 
2 x6 x 20'-0" . Three sides made a U shape and the top piece just laid on top of the U with 4 concrete blocks to keep the top from warping. Each end was blocked off with a 2 x 6 and had a hole for drainage in the lower half. 
The raised end was fitted with a 3/8" close nipple that was screwed into the end block. I used a Shark steam cleaner for the steam and made an adaptor for the nozzle to the nipple. Just drilled an end cap for the nozzle end to enter . Fairly tight fit so no other sealing was needed. The Shark unit will steam for about 40 minutes or so. Cedar strips that needed steaming were ready after 20 minutes. I used ash for the gunnels, this took the entire 40 minutes and sometimes longer. 
mike


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