Is there any dis-advantage of using green oak without steam bending it to fit the desired contour. I was able to get a piece of green oak to conform to the shape I needed without steaming it. I thought I read somewhere that by steam bending the wood, it would reduce the risk of rot. If I use just the raw wood without steaming it will this be OK.
Senior Member
Half the ribs in my dinghy are green bent, 10 years old now, with no noticeable difference from the others and no problems with any of them.
Senior Member
I have been told that steaming kills the mold spores. How important this is I don't know.
The often over looked or ignored result of steam bending...is the inhierant "seasoning" taken place while steaming(which is in fact cooking the wood). So yes, you are missing the "drying effects" that take place while steaming. To use to much heat or to steam for too long, will cause a rapid seasoning of the wood. The green timber that naturally bent into shape is a very green piece of wood and will shrink as it seasons in place over time. This is more readily seen when a green timber is cut into shape versus the bending....in fact, you may not readily notice it at all. But, that is the difference I'm more familiar with.
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