Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Steam Bending Black Locust?
Greg Bétit, Vergennes, VT
>I have looked on line but I can't find any information relating to Black Locust's steam bending properties. I see where it is used in boat construction, know that it has superior rot resistant qualities, superb strength and has a better modulus of elastisity than white oak. It is dimensionally more stable than white oak as well.
I'm just wondering if anyone has had any luck steam bending the stuff.
Greg
Re: Steam Bending Black Locust? *LINK*
john jesseph
>Hi Greg!
Makes great fence posts! I sure haven't tried bending it, but maybe I should. I guess it is good bending wood- what are you making?
"Wood has good steam bending qualities, equal to ash and beech."
I found this quote here:
wood and wood products online
Re: Steam Bending Black Locust?
MikeW
>Hi Greg,
I steam bend thin (3/16") pieces of ebony. At least for ebony, but a good idea nonetheless, is to use compression starps.
Mike
Re: Steam Bending Black Locust?
Scott in Douglassville, PA
>I think, on paper, you've made the case for it being better suited than white oak. Give it a shot - thinking CA arms?
Scott, eyeing the fenceposts suspiciously
Re: Steam Bending Black Locust?
Greg Bétit, Crown Point NY
>If it's as good as ash, that would be great! I need some green wood to work into chair parts, and all my sources have dried up for the time being. But I've got 4 acres of woods with "mast locust" aplenty- straight, and tall. I just never have heard of them being used for such a thing as chair parts.
Greg
Re: Steam Bending Black Locust?
Greg Bétit, Crown Point NY
>Hi Scott,
To start they'll be Welsh chair arms and crest rails- thicker cross section bends than I'm used to. But if they bend well and the wood is as straight as it seems on the stump, continuous arms will be next!
Greg