: I've been attempting to build a combing lip for the last couple
: days. Laminating using 3/4" X 1/8" strips of oak. The
: horizontal bend around the riser (against the 1/8"
: dimension) in no problem at all. The vertical bend (against the
: 3/4" dimension) has been nothing but trouble! Lots of
: force, lots of clamps, etc... almost get a gooey layer around
: and snap..

: I'm betting this topic has come up in the past but I couldn't find
: much across the net from anyone who has actually tried it...
: Just a lot of "I heard" urban myth sort of stuff.

: I did a few experiments/tests with some scraps of my broken oak
: strips. Soaked about 16" of the strips in a bucket of
: hot/warm water and some cheap (meijer brand) liquid fabric
: softener with seemingly good results. Soaked for 20 minutes or
: so and could almost effortlessly bend that vertical bend.
: Probably 1/2" or more out of "straight" in that
: 16" soaked (the horizontal bend was close to a wet noodle).
: Seemed to hold it's shape and firm up once dry on every
: occasion. Doesn't make much sense, but it seems to work?

: So I guess my question is... Does anyone do this? Am I screwing
: myself when it comes to finishing due to leftover residue or
: anything?
: I have yet to build a steam box just because the working time is so
: short from box to boat and I'm pretty slow with 50+ clamps and a
: significant bend up around that combing..

: Any words of wisdom?

First it's a coaming, next you have to move fast, hot water (boiling actually) will work, wear heavy leather gloves, as the wood cools it's bending properties decrease rapidly, you have only minutes to get it bent. There is no reason to glue it when bending it, once bent, clamped and cooled most of the bend will remain once it cools.

The other way is to laminate it from thinner strips of wood, lots easier to bend it thin.

Bill H.