How to Make a Steam Chest

A steam chest -- also known as a steam box -- is a contraption that lets you heat wood to make it more pliable, thereby allowing you to bend it into various shapes. This is particularly useful if you're building a piece of furniture or, say, the ribs of a canoe or kayak. One thing to keep in mind as you assemble your steam chest is that the more compact it is, the less time it will take for the heat to penetrate the wood inside.

Plywood
Coat hanger
Electric drill
Camping stove
Cooking pot
Water

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the plywood down to your desired dimensions. Assemble the plywood by either nailing or screwing the sides together to form a rectangular box. Cut a hole into one side to allow steam in. Keep in mind that it should be large enough so that once you slide a piece of wood inside, there will be about 1 inch of open space on each side of the piece, allowing the heat to penetrate it from all directions.
- 2
  Drill holes into the sides of the chest and slide in the extended wire hangers that will act as supports for the piece of wood. That way, every side of the wood will be equally exposed to heat.
- 3
  Place the cooking pot atop the camping stove and fill it with water. Next, drill four legs onto the side of the chest with the steam vent. The legs should be tall enough so that the bottom of the chest is lined up with the top of the cooking pot. Place the piece of wood into the chest, atop the wire hanger supports, and situate the steam vent opening over the cooking pot. Use a stove in the 800 watt to 1,200-watt range, depending on how much steam you need to generate.
- 4
  Fill the pot with water and turn on the heater. The time required to heat the wood until it's pliable depends on the type of wood you're steaming.

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