Bill Ferguson wrote:
I have an antique chest of drawers that has moulding around the corners
Some of this is missing. The wood is mahogany about 1/4 x 1.5 wide.

I duplicated the original profile and now I am trying to bend it to
conform to the edge. I made a steamer and tried twice to bend it around
a form with no success. Then I tried soaking it and had the same result.

John Coffey replies:

 

Two things that work well for me. Use a hot pipe (see pics) to

bend the wood. Find a short length of  copper pipe, the diameter

of which is as large as your smallest bend and set it up so you can

put a torch into one end (actually outside the pipe by a few inches

but the flame going into the pipe). Heat the pipe so that water

sizzles when dripped on it.

 

Take the mahogany, wet both sides and rock it over the pipe. As

it dries out wet it more and keep rockin' . You will feel the wood

become more pliable and capable of bending as it gets hot. You

might scorch one side; no matter. You can also use a stainless

strap over the strip of wood to keep the tension side from

fracturing.

 

The other suggestion is to use walnut rather than mahogany as it

will bend much easier. Stain it to match afterwards. As always

with bending wood, straight grain is key.

John Coffey
Locust Valley, NY