Thread: Best shape for a bending iron?

I dont see the point of the convex shape Wal. The only time you would use it is if you have a matching block that you push into the indent to get a specific curve. But I cant imagine what it would be.

The only time mine has come up short was in doing some violin sides as I just couldnt get the curve tight enough in the C Bout. I just clamped a soldering iron in the vice and that worked fine. I have the standard one, Ibex I think.

I can see absolutely no use for a concave side either...bending is always done with iron on the inside of the curve.

The optimum shape is one where number of different curve radii is maximised.

Thanks guys, so the smoke stack shape it'll be and I can always add a little bit on the end for tight bends.

As I don't have a model to work with, what would the ideal dimensions be?

Length, width and for hight I'd imagine it would need to cater for the width of a hollow body sides, say around 150 mm.

regards

Wal.

I thought there was a violin attachment for the ibex ? Specifically for that problem. Can't find anything on it now but I thought you could get a little knob to attach to the top of the iron....

By the way the cheapest source I've found for luthier tools is

http://www.pilgrimsprojects.biz/

You have to search to find stuff but the prices are very good.

http://www.pilgrimsprojects.biz/t11.html

http://www.pilgrimsprojects.biz/bend.html

Yes there is an attachment and one could probably make a bunch of them for different bends, and that's the plan but I don't want to go to the trouble of casting one only to find out later that I missed something and then have to reshape it.

And I'm not ganna purchase one because they're too expensive for me, and the cheapy's are unreliable.

Thanks for the links but I just like to try and make every thing myself, yes, I know, it's an illness.



kindest regards

Wal

No problem, as long as your having fun.

And yes I think they are ridiculously expensive also.

So whats this all leading up to Wal ? An acoustic or archtop ?

Hi Wal,

The net has lots of home made bending irons on it. Ive seen them use propane torches, hot water elements etc. What I havent seen too often is the elliptical shape. Most use a piece of copper pipe of about 5mm diameter and it seems to work for them. I think the Padma posted his on the ANZLF not so long ago. Mathew has posted the one he uses for bass sides as well. The test for if it is getting hot enough is a droplet rolling off in its own steam.

From memory my IBEX is about 75mm on the long axis and about 50mm at the widest point. It is about 150mm deep. The temperature controller is a load of cobblers. I only ever use it flat out and change the time I hold he timber against the iron to deal with different thicknesses. You get a feel for it. They expensive for what they are and I now know that you could get away with using a decent soldering iron as I said. But home made has so much more mojo .

Is there a place where I could study bending using an iron ?

I've got a collection of soldering irons including some pretty big ones, probably big enough for leadlight and such (although I've never tried such things).

Still got the iron I spent ALL my money on when I was 8 It was my most precious posession then...

Originally Posted by damian

Is there a place where I could study bending using an iron ?

Yep.....your workshop. You can find some basic instruction in Cumpianos book but its like riding a bike...the real skills get picked up by getting on and riding.

Get some cheap bits of indian rosewood and start playing on the iron with it. Get a feel for how hot the wood has to be before it starts to give. Some woods will talk to you and you'll hear the fibres starting to give.

Originally Posted by fletch123

So whats this all leading up to Wal ? An acoustic or archtop ?

AAAAAAhahaha, Well maybe some day.

I thought it would make for some interesting discussion.

I've trawled forums all over the place and couldn't help noticing that there are a lot of disgruntled folks out there whom have bought irons off the shelf and are unhappy with the performance, not hot enough, cool down too quick, heating cartridge burns out a week out of warranty, Temp adjustment is useless and the list goes on.

I'd like to have a go at making some thing reliable.

Thanks for your input Damian, I've always wanted to try lead lighting.

Thanks for those dimensions Sebastien It'll give me a guide line. Do you find that it meets all your requirements?

Thanks Martin for that explanation, Ive only ever bent a small piece of veneer to go under my headstock.

regards

Wal

Wal,

If I were to change anything it would be a bit more power. I turn it flat out and that is the only setting I use it on. It makes the thermostat redundant. With really thin timber I just work more quickly. Its one of those "you do it till you get it" things. The dimensions have been fine so far.

Damian,

My first experiments were with cypress pine, ie 30yo floorboards. Cut to 40mm wide, scraped and sanded to about 2mm and then wet and bent. They bent and smelt great BTW. I have sucessfully bent Mahogany, Monterey Cypress, Tassie Blackwood, NG Rosewood, Tassie Myrtles, QLD Walnut and QLD Maple, some quartersawn, a lot were all sorts of types of sawn. Just keep it to under 2mm thick,go slowly and you will be right. For tutes Robbie O'Brien is hard to beat [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fEhicNLgxo]YouTube - ‪O'Brien Guitars - Luthier Tips du Jour - Side bending by hand‬‏[/ame]

If I could get some clear (no knots) Cypress Pine I reckon it would be great for instrument sides and backs. It will be a timber I experiment with when I get around to doing some bowl backs.