Steam Bent Lamp

This lamp is steam-bent from 1/16" Walnut and White Oak strips that I soaked in hot water before bending. I drew inspiration from Tom Raffield’s Skipper Pendant for the design. Trying wood steam-bending has been on my list of new techniques to explore. I previously attempted bending with a steam box and steamer, but the box warped after two uses and became unusable. For this build I used a heat gun and a simple metal jig a friend welded. The heat gun warmed the metal, and I pressed the soaked strips against it to soften and bend them. The strips are secured between two circular bases that compress them and are fastened with a single bolt. I finished the piece with one coat of Tried and True.