Wood Steamer

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ealger
Posts: 387
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 5:14 pm

Wood Steamer

Post by ealger »

A steamer can be made using an old deep fryer (or a new one!). I made a cover cut from a piece of nylon cutting board. The nozzel is a couple of pieces of 1" PVC with elbow and threaded coupler. I cut the threads in the nylon cover with an iron 1" nipple. See the pictures.

The main steam pipe is a 5 foot piece of 4" vent pipe which houses a piece of 2" PVC both of which are set on a cradle made from scrap MDF. A 3" PVC pipe could be used but takes more steam. The outer metal pipe acts as a support for the PVC which will get really limp when steam is applied. The PVC is used to reduce the amount of steam needed and to protect precious wood parts.

The PVC fittings attached to the fryer cover will also get loose with heat but it's not a problem.

Fill the fryer with water only about 1/2 full and set the thermostat for 250 degrees F. Insert the parts to steam and plug the gaps with a couple of rags. A can under the tail pipe is handy to collect water drippings.

After thought: The steamer vent fittings could be replaced with a short flexable pipe like found on water heater supply lines.

NOTE: Use caution with this apparatus as steam can give nasty burns. Wear gloves and safey glasses!
Ed...

http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a237/ ... edia=image
Ed Alger
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mvettori
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Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:18 am
Location: Collegeville, PA
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Post by mvettori »

Nice idea Ed. Thanks for the pics.

Her's a link to one I built using 4" PVC pipe and fittings, a hot plate, and my wife's tea pot (don't tell her, she hasn't noticed yet! :sealed lips )

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/mike_vett ... pg&.src=ph

I inserted bolts across the bottom to keep the wood up off of any condensed water and to allow the steam to flow around the whole pieceof wood. One thing nice about this is that I can pitch the steamer higher at the end opposite of the tea pot. This way condensed water flows back to the pot and back in to be re-used.

Mike in Phila.
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Pete in the Deep South
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Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:07 am
Location: Jasper, Ga.
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Post by Pete in the Deep South »

I use discarded balloon tank. :party
KG4YOL
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Fish
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Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2006 1:24 am
Location: Oregon

Post by Fish »

Pete,

show a pic if you have one? that sounds interesting
All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream. Poe
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Pete in the Deep South
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Location: Jasper, Ga.
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Post by Pete in the Deep South »

Fish,

I used a fish fry cooker to generate the steam. The balloon tank has a safety valve that I punched out and used the hole created for the hose. As you can see, I have used this setup on several projects and my steambox(pvc pipe) has bent. I guess it's time for a new one.

Image
KG4YOL
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Fish
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Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2006 1:24 am
Location: Oregon

Post by Fish »

Excellent!

Cool house too!
All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream. Poe
dpetersen
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Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2008 10:27 pm

Post by dpetersen »

My steamer is very simple. It consists of a STEAM vaporizer (not cool mist) with a plastic funnel inverted over the steam outlet and put into 4 feet of 2" PVC. Rags are used to plug the gaps in the system. Steam vaporizers can be bought very inexpensively, particuparly at the end of cold season on closeout. Prob have 10 bucks in mine and it works fine.
Dick Petersen
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BradRob
Posts: 72
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Grayling, Mich.

coffee can steamer

Post by BradRob »

I used a regular tin coffee can for the water and inside the can i placed in the center a 4 inch x 5 foot piece of hard pipe duct. I cut 2 small v notches on the bottom of the pipe to allow water on the inside of pipe. I used 1/1/2 inch sheet metal screws and screwed the hard pipe in place.The bottom of the pipe rests on the can bottom and the screws are on the top perimeter of the can . Four screws one on each side.I filled with water, clamped my stems both Inside and outside stems seperately with spring clamps and placed them inside of duct. I inserted a metal rod through the holes on the top of the clamps and rested the clamps on the top of the hard pipe. I plugged the top with a rag then put the steamer on top of a backpacking stove. I steamed 2 inners and 2 outer stems ( total of 4 clamps ) for 1 hr. Very simple and cheap(everything i used was on hand).The total assembly of the steamer was ten minutes. :applause
nicktheww2fanatic
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Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:24 am

Post by nicktheww2fanatic »

I used an empty rice cooker with the handle removed with pvc directing the steam to a larger PVC pipe...found all that pvc in the barn
finrod
Posts: 21
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2011 7:48 am
Location: belgium

Re: Wood Steamer

Post by finrod »

i use an electric steamer to take down the wallpaper, works pritty good :)
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