Sirhr,
The thing here is your talking about having a relatively thin piece of oak bent, versus a 2 ½" to 3" thick handrail. Something else I notice is the handrail shown in the video is completely finished as in stained and varnished. I worked residential construction for 35 years and never saw a handrail done like that, makes me wonder if that handrail in not actually wood, but some composite material.
Yeah, I watched the video once I was on my computer, and it looks like it's some kind of wood-like composite. I also thought it might be some kind of wierd Asian wood that is very soft and pliable.
But those blankets don't seem to have any way of introducing water or moisture. They are heat blankets, designed to soften resin. Not 'steam' wood until its pliable.
So I'd say you are right on. Extruded resin-with wood-like grain in it. Once heated, it becomes spaghetti-like and can form around anything! No way they are doing that with milled wood. (We finish top bows AFTER they are bent. They come as full-dimension 2 x 4's bent in big U-shapes. If you are 'good' with the band saw, you can get two bows out of one bent piece.
There is an old saying that Rolls-Royce spent 30 years and millions of dollars to try and make wood look like plastic. And Ford spent 30 years and millions of dollars to try and make plastic look like wood! Looks like the asians perfected the latter. No surprise!
Cheers
