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Out Of A Nutshell - Steam Bending
Other Possibilities

I'm thinking it might be possible - using custom-made drills - to cut a large number of slightly dished washer type pieces out of the shell, then stack, glue and clamp them all together, to make a solid rod of shell-stuff, which could perhaps then be turned to make chess pieces, knife handles or other small items.

More on that idea later, perhaps


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On the previous page, I succeeded in making a nice braiding board - but is it possible to make anything that isn't constrained to the curved original shape of the coconut shell? Let's have a go...

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So, using another part of the shell from the previous page, I marked out my cutting lines.

Can you tell what it is yet?


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Look! - it's a spoon - except it's not a very useful one, because the handle curves upward instead of sticking out.

With many kinds of timber, it's possible to impart temporary pliability by steaming - coconut shell is a woody material, but is it sufficiently similar that it will yield to the same treatment?


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I steamed the piece over vigorously boiling water for an hour.


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I had clamps and battens standing by. I removed the piece swiftly from the steamer and placed the handle part between the battens, then clamped it up - and...


Fail!

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The steam did soften the shell material, and it did flatten a bit, but it was a crumbling sort of softness and the handle snapped in three places. No good.

Perhaps with hotter steam under pressure, it still might be possible, but I'm not sure - I think the similarity between wood and coconut shell might actually be quite superficial.


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Could always make a house - if you're an octopus that is
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8408233.stm

Posted by Fennel Crumblecheese on Mar 1 2010 at 00:15