Which wood forming/wasting process bends wood by applying heat to make it flexible?

Which wood forming/wasting process bends wood by applying heat to make it flexible?

• A. Turning
• B. Routing
• C. Steam bending
• D. Milling

Answer: (C)

Steam bending uses heat and moisture to soften the wood so it becomes pliable enough to bend around a form. The steam penetrates the fibers, softening the lignin, which acts like a natural glue, allowing the piece to be shaped without breaking. Once clamped to the desired curvature and cooled, the wood holds the bend as it dries. Other methods listed involve removing material or shaping with cutters rather than bending by heat. Turning spins the wood on a lathe to shape it by cutting away material, routing removes material with a cutter to shape edges or profiles, and milling uses rotating cutters to remove material for 3D shapes. None of these rely on making the wood flexible through heat to achieve a bend.

Steam bending uses heat and moisture to soften the wood so it becomes pliable enough to bend around a form. The steam penetrates the fibers, softening the lignin, which acts like a natural glue, allowing the piece to be shaped without breaking. Once clamped to the desired curvature and cooled, the wood holds the bend as it dries.

Other methods listed involve removing material or shaping with cutters rather than bending by heat. Turning spins the wood on a lathe to shape it by cutting away material, routing removes material with a cutter to shape edges or profiles, and milling uses rotating cutters to remove material for 3D shapes. None of these rely on making the wood flexible through heat to achieve a bend.