Ron Kulas
Active Member
Ive wanted to learn to make snowshoes for some time but never got around to it. Before I set out to make actual sized and wearable snowshoes I started by making half scale versions to learn the process. Here is the process I used as I learn about steam bending wood. Im using oak since Ash is hard to come by here. I shaped and thined the oak stick in the areas where the bends are otherwise it will break and I have broken many until I got a pattern that works.
The form I made.
The high tech steam creator (since one cant buy steam, premade)
The steam chamber is PVC
After a hour of steam It can be coaxed around the form.
and the nose bent
After a day or two its dry enough to hold the shape and crossbars are added and its sanded because the steam raises hell with the wood
Then I lace the heel and toe with deer skin and varnish everything.
Since the prototypes are half scale and cant be worn and I didnt want to waste the effort so I turned them into art pieces. The first batch will have deerskin leather centers with artwork. I had a lot of tanned deer and elk hides and this seemed like a good use for them
Again, these are half scale.
Then I thought, since this is the 21st century I should make electric snowshoes so I bought a small light and cord set and fashioned up a lamp but I wanted a lamp that I could customize or change with the seasons. For the lampshade I printed oak and birch skin on legal sized paper on my printer. For the frame I steam bent small strips of oak.
Then I thought about adding a background that appears only when the light is on. (with oak)
Then birch
Then I went kind of nuts because its easy to change the skins.
The sky is the limit for options in regards to silhouettes but then I had another thought on how to customize behind the bark only when the light is on.
![step1_zps7c4ba2fc.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Fstep1_zps7c4ba2fc.jpg&hash=284661ba1409036db0d85389856687f4)
The form I made.
![step2_zps20651bad.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Fstep2_zps20651bad.jpg&hash=960828d5c1b07e0fc349c8afc86f2730)
The high tech steam creator (since one cant buy steam, premade)
![step3_zps80fc0fbb.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Fstep3_zps80fc0fbb.jpg&hash=7f99df7b8cf460b9efec2bf26bfa11af)
The steam chamber is PVC
![step4_zps8a39a7b6.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Fstep4_zps8a39a7b6.jpg&hash=9c5e87de8595c547264d9082cd8ac511)
After a hour of steam It can be coaxed around the form.
![step5_zpsed43422d.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Fstep5_zpsed43422d.jpg&hash=84012ac81eb1450b3f17f3542f1b1266)
and the nose bent
![step6_zps45df2db3.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Fstep6_zps45df2db3.jpg&hash=ea26d1bd7aebb9460ea1e380bfa8cfda)
After a day or two its dry enough to hold the shape and crossbars are added and its sanded because the steam raises hell with the wood
![shoe1_zps105d4176.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Fshoe1_zps105d4176.jpg&hash=50371cb125ad25404b92c1f8e0df7feb)
Then I lace the heel and toe with deer skin and varnish everything.
![step8_zpsfe447f59.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Fstep8_zpsfe447f59.jpg&hash=b81cd42732329320182a56eb5d423366)
Since the prototypes are half scale and cant be worn and I didnt want to waste the effort so I turned them into art pieces. The first batch will have deerskin leather centers with artwork. I had a lot of tanned deer and elk hides and this seemed like a good use for them
![wbhshoe_zpsecefafcf.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Fwbhshoe_zpsecefafcf.jpg&hash=42a1887bab09e91758616e62a24e9e19)
![wbhshoe2_zps82412e16.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Fwbhshoe2_zps82412e16.jpg&hash=9ab535a158c22116423d8069c521ec72)
![step93_zpsf57cacf3.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Fstep93_zpsf57cacf3.jpg&hash=e1c4ba80501dd4514285e1a7f1fb934f)
Again, these are half scale.
![shoe7_zpsaed7d8ea.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Fshoe7_zpsaed7d8ea.jpg&hash=17ff57c78a980368e53923aef4aeb95a)
Then I thought, since this is the 21st century I should make electric snowshoes so I bought a small light and cord set and fashioned up a lamp but I wanted a lamp that I could customize or change with the seasons. For the lampshade I printed oak and birch skin on legal sized paper on my printer. For the frame I steam bent small strips of oak.
![lamp1_zpsd2367bbd.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Flamp1_zpsd2367bbd.jpg&hash=5e60ed2107caa90e69480988f84b5471)
![lamp91_zps4a2f1c10.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Flamp91_zps4a2f1c10.jpg&hash=02480285f011059dd78cbff88dde10a4)
Then I thought about adding a background that appears only when the light is on. (with oak)
![lamp2_zps8af4578b.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Flamp2_zps8af4578b.jpg&hash=a791efd56077740d7e4b20943f93686d)
Then birch
![lamp4_zps9dc90be2.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Flamp4_zps9dc90be2.jpg&hash=d797d76568ec4a0957f17577d0fc9a13)
Then I went kind of nuts because its easy to change the skins.
![lamp5_zpsa2b731bb.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Flamp5_zpsa2b731bb.jpg&hash=63ab0af33fecd1adef5dad9471893694)
![lamp6_zpseb1fe267.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Flamp6_zpseb1fe267.jpg&hash=0b7488d4de07ef536e63bc78ed5480ff)
The sky is the limit for options in regards to silhouettes but then I had another thought on how to customize behind the bark only when the light is on.
![lamp91_zps4a2f1c10.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Flamp91_zps4a2f1c10.jpg&hash=02480285f011059dd78cbff88dde10a4)
![lamp7_zps14d557df.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi182.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fx285%2Fnewscouts%2Flamp7_zps14d557df.jpg&hash=29fc271867961c0ce59e13cf82152b74)