# Steam Bending Band



## woodbrains (13 Sep 2013)

Hello,

I need to make a steam bending band, for windsor chair backs and the like. Does anyone know of a small suppler of steel (pref stainless) banding. can't find anyone who does small amounts. dont fancy buying a 25 kilo reel for 6 feet of the stuff.

Mike.


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## Paul Chapman (13 Sep 2013)

Might be worth having a word with Paul Styles at Axminster Tools. He runs chair-making courses and gave me a demonstration of how they bend the Windsor chair backs. I think he uses a piece of very thick band saw blade. Anyway, he could probably advise and tell you where to get it.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## Phil Pascoe (13 Sep 2013)

Ordinary galvanised builders band? The holes already in it might be useful? (not being 100% sure what you're doing with it  )


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## woodbrains (13 Sep 2013)

Hello,

Thanks for the replies. I managed to find some imperforated galvanised stuff at a good price. It is amazing how all the Internet searches come up with American sellers. One GB site I found wanted 20 quid postage for a 10 ft length!

Was considering bandsaw stock as a last resort, it seemed like a good way of using up old blunt bands, but perhaps the tooth removal would be too much effort.

Thanks again,

Mike.


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## thick_mike (14 Sep 2013)

Can you let us know where you got it from Mike? I might need to source some of this in future.


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## ColeyS1 (14 Sep 2013)

I'd have thought any engineering place should be able to slice you off a strip. I made a couple of lamb feeders and recall getting 1mm thick bendy galvanised sheet. ......... I think it was 1mm 

Sent from my GT-I9300


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## woodbrains (14 Sep 2013)

Hello.

Ordered som from here,

http://www.tizaro.com/

Galvanised duct hanging strap.

Amazon also had the perf stuff, but was a thinner gauge, so opted for the other stuff

It was surprisingly difficult to find a supplier of a small amount.

Thanks for all the replies.

Mike.


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## custard (15 Sep 2013)

Is 3/4" the widest they do?


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## woodbrains (15 Sep 2013)

Hello,

The stuff I ordered is 10 ft long, 1 in wide, .035 in thick (20 gauge) 

http://www.tizaro.com/brands/dmc/

Like I said earlier, the google searches come up with loads of American suppliers; by the description from this UK supplier, It is likely made for the US market. It is amazing how much easier it is to get stuff over there. Even Home Depot have the stuff I wanted. ( Their orange diy store).

Mike.


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## woodbrains (15 Sep 2013)

Hello,

Actually just noticed the stock stainless stuff too, I ordered the galvanised, cause I didn't see the other. It will do all the same.

Mike.


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## Eric The Viking (23 Sep 2013)

I use builders' band for all sorts fo DIY tasks - last one was a strap to hold the car's radiator header tank up off the engine wiring! To be honest, I can't see it being strong enough for Windsor chair back bending. 

I went to the open day Axminster held for us all in the spring of last year, and watched the steam bending demo too (I think they ran it several times that afternoon): the machine Paul Styles uses exerts a huge force. I remember him saying it was originally bandsaw blade (I assume an offcut from before the teeth were cut), and I think he was pulling the ends with a boat trailer winch. Bandsaw steel would be ideal if you can get it, bur Paul's got somewhat privileged access!

You might try several strips of builders' band together - I fold it back on itself for extra strength sometimes, but if you look at a single strip, although it's about 3/4" wide, the holes in it make it quite a lot weaker in tension than you might expect. It's also probably really cheap Chinese steel, with who-knows-what scrap chucked into the furnace. 

I think I'd test it somehow, in case I found it wasn't up to the job when I had a piping hot piece of oak in the jig.

E.


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## Phil Pascoe (23 Sep 2013)

You can get much heavier builders band than that, though.


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## Eric The Viking (23 Sep 2013)

Good point. 

I didn't realisie there was a bigger version. Googling, Toolstation sell it in 20mm and 50mm widths - their site doesn't say how much thicker the 50mm is though. If it's the same it's not going to be much stronger than 2x20mm. 

Are there more suitable profiles?


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## woodbrains (23 Sep 2013)

Hello,

Actually got some 2 inch band from toolstation yesterday. It seems thick enough, but might work harden near the wood end stops and fail in a short time. Only time will tell. I thought the wider stuff might be better, since the wood to be bent will be wider than 3/4 inch and might give some more leeway. I will give it a go soon. The 1 inch wide band, sans holes might be the best of all, but it still has not arrived!

Mike


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## Stevie406 (25 Apr 2014)

you could use Flooring flexible straight edge Carpet fitting tool 4mtr roll up. I used to be a floor layer, and have used these straight edges for a multitude of different things. you can get them cheaper if you search. I only posted the link to give you an idea. Sorry can't post the link..

Stevie


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## woodbrains (25 Apr 2014)

Hello stevie406.

Thanks for your input. You will be able to post links and photos etc when you have made a few more posts. It is an anti spam thing. 

Oh, and welcome to UK Worksop. 

Mike.


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## NickWelford (25 Apr 2014)

I made a steam bent ash Windsor chair hoop on a course with mike Abbott (renowned green woodworker) and we didn't use a band at all, just bent the hot ash piece around a firmer and clamped it. Clamped the apex first then pulled each side down and clamped those.


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## woodbrains (26 Apr 2014)

Hello,

Yes, some people use no band at all. John Brown used a thin lath of ash as a band. The Idea of the band is to stop tension occurring on the outer edge and allowing only compression to take place on the inner edge. In other words the outside of the wood wil not get any longer, but the inside will get shorter. Using no band allows a bit of both, but wood does not like tension. I just like to use a band to minimise failure rates, but it will work without. Ash is a good bending wood, so it might be a belt and braces approach, other woods not being so kind may need the extra help. I'm still experimenting.

How did your chair making course go, and piccies?

Mike.


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## deema (26 Apr 2014)

I have successfully used steel banding used for heavy duty patetisation. I get it free from most places who are glad to get rid of the stuff once the pallet has been unwrapped. Although not galvanised, it doesn't seem to rust at all, or mark wood.


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## NickWelford (26 Apr 2014)

'Twas 12 years ago now and didn't really take pics at the time.


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## Normancb (26 Apr 2014)

You could look for sheet metal fabricators locally in the yellow pages. They have big sheets of steel and wide guillotines - I've had odd size bits of galvanised steel cut for me that way in the past.

A large car body repair shop may also be worth a try?


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## woodbrains (26 Apr 2014)

Hello,

Thanks for the help, all input is very welcome.

NickWelford, have you not done anything in this vein more recently. I am interested in this seeing some work , or hearing about green woodworking, steam ending etc.

Mike.


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## NickWelford (26 Apr 2014)

Not really. I have collected tools etc - froe and draw knives but not actually done a lot. Where are you situated?


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## woodbrains (27 Apr 2014)

NickWelford":3fpyxkue said:


> Not really. I have collected tools etc - froe and draw knives but not actually done a lot. Where are you situated?



Hello,

Situated up North, in Liverpool. I had a look at your website; the sack back Windsor looks great. You are being a bit modest not posting the photo! I've not done too much recently either, work and house renovations are keeping me away from doing the stuff I like, but hopefully I'll make something worthwhile soon. I stayed with a green wood chair maker in America when I was at the college of the Redwoods fine furniture program in 2003. Did a bit of steam bending there, but not done much till recently; have been concerned more with cabinets etc.

Mike


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