Thanks, Jason. I, too, have had good results using a 6-inch PVC tube and large boiler on a camp stove. The tube slumped a bit on me too. That process was used to bend the stems for my stripper canoe.

The pieces for the project I'm starting now don't require anywhere near that amount of bending, so I thought I could do them in situ with a steam iron. I simply didn't know the details. Thanks for filling me in.

Ken

: Spidey and myself have used irons for steam bending and we both have left
: posts about our results. Spidey has a nice web page with good
: documentation.

: I have done my steam bending two ways; one with the PVC tube, with fairly
: good results. But watch out the tube will bend under the heat also you
: don’t have much time to work with the strip. Second way is the iron
: method, which I personally like. What I like is that you are working a
: small area at any given time, this way you do not have to worry about the
: entire strip cooling off on you before your done (can give you more
: working time).

: The largest piece I have tried is an accent strip for my current canoe
: project it is ¼” thick and about 4 ½” inches wide. I have not tried it on
: a thicker piece of stock than ¼”.

: Here are a few tips that I have: Pre moisten the strip prior to being
: steamed (ie go over the area with a wet rag).

: Don’t flip the iron so that the front edge is angled downwards or the
: water will spill out.

: if possible start at the lowest point and work your way up (steam rises).

: I have found on larger pieces (such as my accent strip) that I cannot get
: into there final place at first, was no big deal. Clamp it into place and
: the next day they will with a little coxing slid into their final resting
: place sometimes with a little more steam.

: Good luck

: Jason