Making Wooden Bars Video

[oldy57]

This guy has some skills. Hope the video works.

Workshop Companion - Steam bending wooden handlebars | Facebook| By Workshop Companion | We’ve been steam bending 1-inch wooden dowels to make wooden bicycle handlebars for a replica of a Wright “Van Cleve” bicycle. In the 1890s, just as...

We’ve been steam bending 1-inch wooden dowels to make wooden bicycle handlebars for a replica of a Wright “Van Cleve” bicycle. In the 1890s, just as...

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[volksboy57]

really nice work on those bars and grips! I hope they flipped the sprocket to the other side

 

[New Mexico Brant]

really nice work on those bars and grips! I hope they flipped the sprocket to the other side View attachment 1556474

 

[New Mexico Brant]

Maybe they got confused and thought they are building a Crawford? Patric can you please comment @hoofhearted.

 

[locomotion]

very cool video, I probably watched it 3-4 times when it came out on Facebook
I wrote to the guy when the video first popped up on Facebook to ask him if he was going to start selling wood bars, and he said that they are too time consuming to make and that the price would be too high
so he said he won't be making any for resale
I guess they made all the molds for only one set!

I still don't understand why they had turn the handlebars from a solid wood block, might of been faster to simply use a 7/8" (or in their case 1") wood shaft already available

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

I still don't understand why they had turn the handlebars from a solid wood block, might of been faster to simply use a 7/8" (or in their case 1") wood shaft already available

it could be whatever off the shelf dowels are made of (pine?) is not a good wood for steam bending. I was a woodshop major in high school.

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

from the interweb:

What types of wood can be steam-bent?


Can all wood be steam-bent?


All wood is made from Lignin and Cellulose so all species of wood can be steam-bent to some extent. Generally 'Temperate Ring-Porous Hardwoods' are best if you want to do tight bends but there are a lot of exceptions, and gentle bends can still be achieved with most other woods.

Bending qualities of various hardwoods were tested by the U.S. Forest Service and the results show that white oak, hackberry and red oak were ranked as the best woods for steam bending, while soft maple, yellow-poplar and hard maple were ranked as the least compatible with the steam bending process.

 

[locomotion]

it could be whatever off the shelf dowels are made of (pine?) is not a good wood for steam bending. I was a woodshop major in high school.

in Montreal, there are at least 1 or 2 specialised "wood" store/importers/distributors that sell all types of woods in different forms
those stores sell mostly to cabinet makers, furniture makers and enthusiasts
I have been in one 2 or 3 times when I was restoring an old building, and it's pretty amazing what they actually have in stock

maybe he just wanted that "we made it all" label
still very cool either way, I was just wondering

 

[49autocycledeluxe]

we had a real good local "wood store" back when I did woodworking. it's not there anymore. could be it is just easier to make it if he lives out in the sticks.

 

[locomotion]

from the interweb:

What types of wood can be steam-bent?


Can all wood be steam-bent?


All wood is made from Lignin and Cellulose so all species of wood can be steam-bent to some extent. Generally 'Temperate Ring-Porous Hardwoods' are best if you want to do tight bends but there are a lot of exceptions, and gentle bends can still be achieved with most other woods.

Bending qualities of various hardwoods were tested by the U.S. Forest Service and the results show that white oak, hackberry and red oak were ranked as the best woods for steam bending, while soft maple, yellow-poplar and hard maple were ranked as the least compatible with the steam bending process.

here is his answer about the type of wood they used
"we experimented with white oak, red oak, hemlock, and hickory. We ended up using the white oak but that's mainly because it had the right amount of moisture for bending"