Hello everyone, I have a rather hefty (thick) peice of rub rail to force around roughly 125 degrees of arc. Is there a preferred method of making the bend? I thought of boiling it (steam tube) and bending it on a form prior to installation. Does anyone have anotheretter idea? what worked for you? This rub rail is very stiff and substantial. Thank you Clay
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Variables
Steaming may work well, but a lot depends upon variables you have not mentioned. You say 125 degrees, but not how long the piece is, nor how sharp the bend (what the radius) is. Will your rubrail fit into a steambox that you already have, or will you have to make one? Wrapping a piece of timber in towels and soaking them with (a lot of ) boiling water may be enough for the bend you need. Boiling the piece in water can also be a little safer than dealing with the scalding propensities of steam. There are rules of thumb for working with different types of wood, and different thicknesses of them. If you're using a form, be aware of "backspring" : when you remove the piece from the form it springs back a little straighter, and may crack when you go to install it. The form needs to "overbend" the piece to compensate. A good place to perhaps get more well-informed information is the woodenboat forum: http://woodenboat-ubb.com/cgi-bin/UBB/ultimatebb.cgi . Steam-bending is certainly a lot spiffier than notching saw kerfs on the inside edge, tthough.
Steaming may work well, but a lot depends upon variables you have not mentioned. You say 125 degrees, but not how long the piece is, nor how sharp the bend (what the radius) is. Will your rubrail fit into a steambox that you already have, or will you have to make one? Wrapping a piece of timber in towels and soaking them with (a lot of ) boiling water may be enough for the bend you need. Boiling the piece in water can also be a little safer than dealing with the scalding propensities of steam. There are rules of thumb for working with different types of wood, and different thicknesses of them. If you're using a form, be aware of "backspring" : when you remove the piece from the form it springs back a little straighter, and may crack when you go to install it. The form needs to "overbend" the piece to compensate. A good place to perhaps get more well-informed information is the woodenboat forum: http://woodenboat-ubb.com/cgi-bin/UBB/ultimatebb.cgi . Steam-bending is certainly a lot spiffier than notching saw kerfs on the inside edge, tthough.
Re. Variables
Thank you Paul, for responding. Your right, I needed to provide more information. You naturally assumed I meant I was bending wood because of the steam box. The rub rail in question is a very stiff poly. I experimented with a piece today and it bends rather easily once steamedoiled, however my nice white sample piece changed into an easy to bend light brown about the same color as a heat gun scorch. I suppose more experimentation is in order. Thanx Clay
Thank you Paul, for responding. Your right, I needed to provide more information. You naturally assumed I meant I was bending wood because of the steam box. The rub rail in question is a very stiff poly. I experimented with a piece today and it bends rather easily once steamedoiled, however my nice white sample piece changed into an easy to bend light brown about the same color as a heat gun scorch. I suppose more experimentation is in order. Thanx Clay
Heat lamp ????
or whatever the methodology used for bending plexiglass, lexan etc. Also, you might contact the mfg. or a plastics supplier & ask them.
or whatever the methodology used for bending plexiglass, lexan etc. Also, you might contact the mfg. or a plastics supplier & ask them.
A Forum archive search would help you a lot. My recollection was that many folks have simply used hair dryers and made sure they did the work on a hot day. Stu
Thermoforming HDPE
Try a google on "thermoforming" + your plastic (ie: HDPE like King Starboard, whatever). The key to softening without discolouring will be minimum heat, applied over a larger area. I've heard that simple exposure to sunlight (UV) will help eliminate some "scorch" discolouring (can anyone confirm?). Thermoforming plastics: http://www.kingstarboard.com/InfoCenter/forming.aspx
Try a google on "thermoforming" + your plastic (ie: HDPE like King Starboard, whatever). The key to softening without discolouring will be minimum heat, applied over a larger area. I've heard that simple exposure to sunlight (UV) will help eliminate some "scorch" discolouring (can anyone confirm?). Thermoforming plastics: http://www.kingstarboard.com/InfoCenter/forming.aspx
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