Mitch,

Wow! Truly awesome...and an inspiration to get out of the office and back into the workshop. I really like the deck pattern! So, I'm dying to know...how does it paddle? I haven't gotten a chance to try out one of these designs before I jumped into building.

The only reason I was trying to avoid steaming is that you have to get a heat source (camp stove, hot plate, etc) a steam generator (tea kettle -- do you think I could get away with stealing the one off the stove?? ;P ) working down in my enclosed basement. I am also hesitant to introduce that much humidity into the air so quickly. There are lots of 1/2 finished wood projects sitting around that the joints may move on if I change the humidity rapidly. I think I am just going to suck it up and go for it though. First I may try the heat gun / wet cloth method before a full-fledged steam chamber (PVC tube). Thanks for the link too...I had forgotten about that page.

--Will