Please share your method.
Unwarping wooden scales
- Thread starter Friedramen
- Start date
I've never tried, but it's an interesting question.
Steam bending might be worth exploring. Wood gets pretty darn pliable after a spell in a steam box. Steam boxes are cheap and easy to make with just an electric kettle and a small wooden box., There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube.
The tricky part would be creating a form/mold that you want the scales to take. My guess is that there would be some spring-back after it came out of the form.
Just a thought. Definitely something you'd want to experiment with using junk rather than a treasured heirloom!
Hopefully somebody out there with actual experience will post an answer for you.
Can you post a picture of the scales? It might prompt some ideas from folks.
Steam bending might be worth exploring. Wood gets pretty darn pliable after a spell in a steam box. Steam boxes are cheap and easy to make with just an electric kettle and a small wooden box., There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube.
The tricky part would be creating a form/mold that you want the scales to take. My guess is that there would be some spring-back after it came out of the form.
Just a thought. Definitely something you'd want to experiment with using junk rather than a treasured heirloom!
Hopefully somebody out there with actual experience will post an answer for you.
Can you post a picture of the scales? It might prompt some ideas from folks.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
I have done a fair amount of steam bending in my youth when building timber racing skiffs. It should also work on scales.
The trick is to just put a little bit of bend in the timber each time. The amount of spring-back varies with the type of timber, the seasoning of the timber and the time in the steam. It's an art, not a science, in getting it right.
If you correct your timber scales too far, you can always use the same method to undo part of your work.
The trick is to just put a little bit of bend in the timber each time. The amount of spring-back varies with the type of timber, the seasoning of the timber and the time in the steam. It's an art, not a science, in getting it right.
If you correct your timber scales too far, you can always use the same method to undo part of your work.
Steam bending is easy to do with improvised equipment, but there's some trial-and-error involved. You can probably make a form from things laying around the house.
A lot will depend on the species of wood and whether it has been stabilized or has a finish on it.
Stabilized wood has an altered structure from the process.
Some species will not steam worth a crap.
If it has a finish and its not stabilized then remove the finish and either soak in water(submerge) or steam.
Both methods will leave you with wood that needs to be sanded and refinished.
If soaked or steamed - clamp them in a straight set up and let dry for several days, then proceed.
Stabilized wood has an altered structure from the process.
Some species will not steam worth a crap.
If it has a finish and its not stabilized then remove the finish and either soak in water(submerge) or steam.
Both methods will leave you with wood that needs to be sanded and refinished.
If soaked or steamed - clamp them in a straight set up and let dry for several days, then proceed.
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