Re-steaming original wood

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thegammas
Posts: 566
Joined: Sat Nov 25, 2006 2:10 pm
Location: Wilmington, Delaware. peterstransky@verizon.net - put wooden boat in the subject

Re-steaming original wood

Post by thegammas »

On my Cortand Sea Lancer there is a rear bench seat. The bench portion was coming apart, so I have removed and dissembled it to repair, refinish, re-install. (all the Mahogony had been painted). The bench consists of a plywood panel trimmed in Mahogony. I plan to replace the plywood panel and use the same but refinished trim.

The question; The long pieces (4 feet or so) of Mohogany are bowed unevenly, and I am concerned about getting them back on evenly. If I have fully stripped and sanded them, can I steam them and say clamp them to a straight edge to re-straighten them? Or is the wood likely to dried out after 50 years?
Peter Stransky
1962 Cortland Custom Sea Lancer
Wilmington, Delaware
Phill Blank
Posts: 412
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2006 4:20 pm
Location: Hurley, Wisconsin

Re: Re-steaming original wood

Post by Phill Blank »

Peter,

I would give it a try. You may find that you will have to over bend in the direction opposite the curve to get it straight.
Worst case is that it will not work, but I think with steam and over bending slightly it should come back at least partially.

Give it a try.

Good Luck,

Phill
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LancerBoy
Posts: 1417
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:47 am
Location: Minneapolis

Re: Re-steaming original wood

Post by LancerBoy »

soak the piece in water for a few weeks before hand.

Andreas
PaulMcK59
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2013 10:05 am

Re: Re-steaming original wood

Post by PaulMcK59 »

I might consider soaking the wood first for a few days because ideally you should bend/steam green wood. Hope it worked either way.
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