Renaissance Steam Bending

[Adam Cripps]

Just out of curiousity, does anyone know how they steam-bended vihuela sides and lute backs during the renaissance?  I know today most people use a box setup with a series of hoses and a kettle, but I am having a really hard time finding any sources talking about how they did the process originally.  Any leads for sources, thoughts/insights on the topic, etc? 

 

Cheers,

Adam C.

[Adam Cripps]

Mr. Batov,

 

Thanks for those pictures!  Now all I need is to talk a blacksmithing friend into giving some round rod an elliptical shape for me....but in the meantime I have a steel pipe that I can experiment around with.  The Vihuela style I am hoping to make doesn't have the sharp bends at the waist, but merely has a smooth dip in at the waist... like the 1555 one here: http://earlyguitar.ning.com/photo/2111060:Photo:3825?context=latest and this 17th century guy: http://earlyguitar.ning.com/photo/2111060:Photo:41?context=latest so the bending shouldn't be too bad...or at least that's what I keep telling myself.  Of course after I got all the wonderful responses from you all we had a rain front come through, so I haven't had a chance to set everything up outside and give it a go just yet.

 

Cheers,

Adam