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Re: Epoxy: Building a steam box
By:Mike Bielski
Date: 1/2/2012, 9:11 am
In Response To: Epoxy: Building a steam box (Greg Bridges)

: I've just built an 8' steam box to help my daughter's classroom
: build a toboggan. It is 1/2" plywood with 2" EPS form
: for insulation and then another 1/2" plywood layer. Can I
: use my leftover epoxy to seal it up so it doesn't absorb water
: and weigh a ton, or will the epoxy go soft when the heat inside
: the box gets to 212 F? Should I glass the inside. I have extra
: glass pieces from the many boats I've built. Thanks. BTW- I have
: a leftover Raka 127 resin and 350 harderner.

Unless you're working someplace really cold the insulation is overkill. You don't need to do anything else for your box. Make sure the stand you put it on is slightly tilted away from the end that opens, and drill a drain hole in that end, otherwise every time you open the door water will pour out. Also, make sure there is at least a drain hole to vent pressure. Steam under pressure is very dangerous and not really needed for steam-bending wood.

Veritas (Lee Valley Tools) has a free guide to steam bending, and they now have it as a .pdf, so you don't have to physically order it from them: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=31161&cat=1,46096,46123 There are quite a few good articles about steam bending in the Fine Woodworking archives, particularly some of the recent ones by Michael Fortune.

m

Messages In This Thread

Epoxy: Building a steam box
Greg Bridges -- 1/2/2012, 1:35 am
Re: Epoxy: Building a steam box
Bill Hamm -- 1/2/2012, 1:49 am
Re: Epoxy: Building a steam box
Will N 2 Go -- 1/3/2012, 8:56 pm
Re: Epoxy: Building a steam box
Bill Hamm -- 1/8/2012, 3:41 am
Re: Epoxy: Building a steam box
Mike Bielski -- 1/2/2012, 9:11 am
Thanks! *NM*
Greg Bridges -- 1/2/2012, 11:35 am
Re: Thanks!
Paul Montgomery -- 1/2/2012, 12:03 pm
Re: Thanks!
ancient kayaker -- 1/4/2012, 4:20 pm
Re: Thanks!
Joy -- 1/5/2012, 6:14 pm
Re: Thanks!
ancient kayaker -- 1/6/2012, 10:24 pm
Re: Thanks!
Bill Hamm -- 1/8/2012, 3:44 am