# Bending Locust



## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Maybe third time is the charm. Having trouble posting.
I'm cutting locust firewood today and I thought I might cut some lumber from it for some outdoor lattices I'm making. I need lumber for the top hoops (semi-circles).
1) Does locust bend easily?
2) Will I still need to steam bend it even though it's green?
3) What's the maximum thickness I can cut for the slats that will be bent and then laminated? 1/4" too thick?
4) Does grain orientation matter when bending? Does riff sawn and quarter sawn bend easier than flat sawn (or is it plain saw?)?

Any opinions


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

I assume you are talking black locust since you are thinking outdoor use, so my answers are aimed at that.

No locust does not bend easy, but it is a good wood for bending because of it's strength (it'll stay bent) It's used in ship building for that reason (and the fact it is very rot resistant)

Yes I think you are going to need to steam it for best results.

I don't see why you could not bend 1/4", seems about right to me.

I don't really know about grain orientation, maybe someone who bends more wood that I will chime in. But generally for any bending straight grain/knot free wood is needed.


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## beelzerob (May 2, 2010)

....and here I am with a pile of black locust pieces. Bending! What a great idea!

As djg asked....should steaming/bending be done when the wood is still wet/green, or should it still be dried first?

djg, what setup were you thinking of using for steaming? I have an enclosed steam shower, but I somehow think that might not be the most effective. :thumbdown: 

Most of my boards are pretty small, but I think bending some wood to make a rounded hanging planter would be pretty cool.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

The only species I have steam bent are cherry (for a hat box) ash and hickory (for long bows) and cedar (various things like small boxes) and I always used dry wood, because that is what I had when I decided to make whatever. I have played around with thin slices fresh milled and they bend quite easy green...but they most often break/crack as they dry. Just saying what I know, which is not much on the subject really. So like I said I would not take my words as the final answer, hopefully someone who bends more often will chime in and either confirm what I am saying..._or_ tell you the right way from their experience.

For small pieces "steam" is not needed, they could be boiled. I have done that often. Boil - set in a form for a couple days to dry- done.


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Daren said:


> I assume you are talking black locust since you are thinking outdoor use....


It was my understanding that both, only know of two: Honey and Black, are good for outdoor use. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Don't want to waste time on something that is going to rot. These trees do not have the thorns on the trunk so I'm thinking it's black locust. Again correct me.
Most of the trees the landowner had dropped were in the 12" dia. range. There's one or two that may be in the 18" range. It's had to tell. Every thing was dropped on the same pile and all is covered in vines. The point is there should be at least one straight clear log for my project. But man if I only had a band mill, I could make some nice 4 x 4s for my shed:smile:.
"what setup were you thinking of using for steaming?"
I've only seen the one Norm used one time. A length of PVC pipe with metal wire from coat hangers run through the sides periodically along its length for supporting the board. The water tank was a NEW 5 gal metal gas can. I'm thinking about finding an old style propane tank (the kind that can't be filled any more in IL). Of coarse I will make sure it's empty, remove the valve and flush with water before I put a heat source to it.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

Honeylocust is not as good outside, black locust is about as rot resistant as a rock.


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Here's some pics, so which do I have?

Also I still need to know from anyone if it matters how the slats are cut with respect to grain.

Thanks


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## beelzerob (May 2, 2010)

Well, the wood looks cool! But otherwise, I *guess* it looks like my black locust billets. The ridged pattern of the bark where you cut it on the end _definitely_ looks like it. The bark on mine is a lot greyer and the ridges are much more pronounced, but it's also closer to 30" diameter....so the age I'm sure has a lot to do with it.


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

djg said:


> Here's some pics, so which do I have?


Yea, black locust.


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