Please contact either Tim or Bob for more information and a personalized quote today.
(231) 937-4367

 

About Michigan Chair Company


Q: What woods does Michigan Chair Company inventory?

A:

  • 4/4 to 12/4 cherry and walnut

  • 4/4 to 10/4 Hard and soft maple

  • 4/4 to 8/4 red oak and ash


Q: Can kiln dried lumber be successfully bent?
A: Yes, with the following observations:
The greatest single factor in the success of a bending is how well it was dried down from green. Any defects (please see the GLOSSARY page) like surface checking and honeycombing created in drying will only be magnified by steam bending. This is especially true in difficult to dry species like red oak and hard maple. Steam times will be much longer than when bending stock with a moisture content in the teens. Most kiln dried lumber has had the lignin (natural glue) already set, and will not bend as well as our material.

 

           Expect better results when using your supplied lumber with:

  • Bends flatter than a 21 inch radius

  • Stock thinner than 1 ¼ inches


Q: How many bends do I have to order?
A: The fewest is one. If you have a small project, we usually give you a flat quote for that project. The flat quote will include your part(s), a bending die, patterns/gages, as well as bend development. A small set up charge may be assessed on small orders.

Q: How thick of stock can be bent?
A: We currently inventory some 3 inch thick stock, and depending on the bend, could bend as thick as 4 inches.

Q: How sharp a bend can be achieved?
A: We have bent 2 ½ inch thick stock to a ½ inch inside radius with a 70% success rate.

Q: How wide of stock can be bent?
A: We currently do not bend wider than 7 ¾ inches.

Q: How long of stock can be bent?
A: We currently can bend up to 120 inches

Q: How soon can I expect delivery?
A: Upon receipt of order, lead time is usually 2-3 weeks. Thick and wide parts may take longer.

Q: Can curly or fiddle back maple and cherry be bent?
A: Yes. It bends, but will have more bending failures compared to straight grained wood. We have a small inventory of curly soft maple and cherry.

Q: How long do the parts steam for?
A: Parts will steam for as short as 15 minutes, to as long as 10 hours depending on the species, thickness and severity of the bend.

Q: What moisture content is the lumber when it is bent?
A: We bend our lumber in the mid teens.

Q: What moisture content is the lumber when it is shipped?
A: We dry bends to 6-8% moisture content as specified by the Wood Component Manufacturers Association.

Q: Who can do business with Michigan Chair Company?
A: Our customers range from large multinational companies to single person custom furniture makers. If you need bends give us a call!

Q: How much do bends cost?
A: There is not an easy answer to this question. Factors that affect the price include:

  • Species

  • How much board footage your blank requires

  • The thickness of the bending blank

  • The overall severity of the bend (i.e. How small a radius do you require?)

 

Q: Does Michigan Chair Company use anhydrous ammonia in bending?
A: We do not use anhydrous ammonia. The University of Wisconsin pioneered the research in using anhydrous ammonia, and we thank Graham Burbank for the following information. Parts plasticized with anhydrous ammonia have the feel of hard rubber, can be bent in any direction, and may not need a support strap. Anhydrous ammonia is attracted to water, and will adhere to all mucus membranes, eyes, lungs, and skin. Anhydrous ammonia will stain hardwood black completely through, and it takes from 1 to 3 weeks for the ammonia to off gas out of the part.   Anhydrous Ammonia is extremely poisonous, federally regulated, and environmentally unfriendly.  Using steam bending is just as effective, safer, and less expensive than using anhydrous ammonia.