Steam bending
My particular passion lies in the age old art of steam bending. I feel it gives my work a unique, organic, flowing quality. I have experimented with this process, developed and perfected it, enabling me to steam bend whole planks of wood. I find it fascinating, and been able to incorporate it into my designs, as seen in the furniture gallery.
The steam bending process starts with selecting the tree in situ. Once it's been planked, and has dried for a few months, it's ready to be steamed using a berko boiler and a wooden box. The plank is left in there for half an hour, and then bent round a wooden former. It is then placed in a jig, and left for a few months to allow for drying. When it's released from the jig it will continue to hold the shape, and not try to spring back producing beautiful curved furniture.