Tag Archives: steam bending

Steam bending for basketmakers

Posted on January 17, 2014 by stevetomlin

From time to time I get together with my mate Phil Bradley, who is a terrific basketmaker, for a day trying something out. Sometimes he is showing me, sometimes I show him and sometimes neither of us know what we’re … Continue reading →

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Jennie's legs

Posted on February 16, 2013 by stevetomlin

Back to post-and-rung ladderback chairs this week, steam bending the back legs for a new design of chair. The ash was lovely to shave down with the drawknife and bent very easily after about an hour in my steamer. Actually, … Continue reading →

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Steambending Course 2011

Posted on August 7, 2011 by stevetomlin

After last year’s success, Charlie Whinney and I again ran an intensive steambending workshop for four furniture makers demonstrating the amazing possibilities in bending solid wood using steam. My role is to organise the workshop and ensure that everything runs … Continue reading →

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Straightening rake stails

Posted on May 5, 2011 by stevetomlin

A straight stail is essential for a good rake so it can slide through your hands while you work and and for balance. You can test a rake’s balance by holding it horizontally in your hands. As you relax your … Continue reading →

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Harvey Nichols installation

Posted on April 24, 2011 by stevetomlin

just a few extra photos from the Harvey Nichols installation.    

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Compression strap – edit

Posted on March 28, 2011 by stevetomlin

Those of you with a keen eye may have noticed that part of the post ‘Steambending the staircase bannister’, concerning the new bending strap, has been removed. Charlie has asked me to do this so as to keep the elements … Continue reading →

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Steambent Staircase Bannister

Posted on February 18, 2011 by stevetomlin

The next project I’m working on with Charlie Whinney is a steam bent oak staircase banister. Three 200mm wide strips will curl their way up the three flights of stairs replacing the existing boring straight pine version. The model shows … Continue reading →

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Garden Sculpture Installed

Posted on February 11, 2011 by stevetomlin

As planned, we went down to London early in the new year to install the ‘Spirit’ garden sculpture but I’ve only just got a photo to show here. This was my first installation and I was a little bit nervous; … Continue reading →

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Garden Sculpture

Posted on December 11, 2010 by stevetomlin

Another week of steam bending and finishing for a wooden sculpture which has been commissioned for a private garden in London. Working with Charlie Whinney, six lengths of high-quality ash board have been curled and twisted into an organic ribbon … Continue reading →

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Gilding ash coils

Posted on November 10, 2010 by stevetomlin

This week I’ve been working for Charlie Whinney on a bespoke version of his Curly Lightshade design. The key feature of these is coils of steam-bent ash which cover the light in curls.  For this special, bigger model 50 coils … Continue reading →

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