Tool: Steam Bending Kit
Manufacturer: Rockler
MSRP: $79.99
The first hurdle in steam bending is just getting set up. How are you going to boil the water? How are you going to get the steam to the steam box? A new kit from Rockler makes this all very easy. It includes everything you need except the box itself, which is no problem to build following the excellent plans that come with the kit.
The kit contains a 5.3 qt. reservoir with a built-in 1500 watt heating element, a 10′ long steam hose, a brass fitting to attach the hose to your box and two hinges and a latch for the box’s door.
I found that if you fill the reservoir with hot water, you’ll get steam in about 10 minutes. It will last about 75 minutes, which is plenty of time for wood that’s up to 1″ thick. If the water level gets too low, a safety switch turns off the heating element.
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