I posit that it is to fix the wood into the desired form. Otherwise, you subject fasteners and other members to the constant strain of resisting the tensile forces created by forcing the subject member into position, which probably means that it fails sooner by various means. Especially unpleasant if that release of stored energy happens while you are eye to eye with your gunwale inspecting the loose screws of your oarlock.

dan ooh that thought makes me feel all Queegy inside becker


-----Original Message-----
From:   Met History [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Wed 9/3/2003 10:13 PM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Cc:	
Subject:             Re: Why steam teak?
In a message dated 9/2/03 9:20:13 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:


> For bending wood for my windsor chairs, I use Sched4 PVC, steamed through a
> tube running out of

Ok Twib, but WHY do you steam it?  Is it because it won't bend without it, or
will it bend without the steaming, and you do it for some other reason?
Yrs.  Lavoisier

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