Official Luthiers Forum!

Last night in one of my steel string building classes we used the Blues Creek Guitars bending machine. John Hall recently donated this to the school. This thing rocks!!!!
We bent about a half dozen sets or more with no problems whatsoever. There was a set of Bubinga, mahogany, and a few sets of EIR. I showed the students how to use the machine by bending the first set and they did the rest.
We have a set of highly figured Sapele going in it tomorrow morning. It is very user friendly.
Once again John, thanks for this donation!

Robbie, have you bent a cutaway with the BC bender? Would you do it the same time as the side or as a separate operation?

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

the cutaway is a separate operation. The cut away ram is attached then you work the set using the cutaway pattern. You pull the ram down as you pull up on the "sandwich". Once you catch the pattern you can run it home. Always be sure you check that the wood is damp before you run the ram. You don't want to case harden the wood.
john hall

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

John so you bend the side, but not the upper bout, then you do the upper bout cutaway as a separate operation? I have a aluminum bar in the waist to pull the sandwich up, but not at the cutaway area. Does your bender have something to pull the sandwich up at the cutaway? Thanks

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

Ricardo,


I didn't know the machine had a cutway option. When I do cutaway I do the cutaway portion by hand on an iron.

Robbie

I just want to state again how unbelievably generous John Hall has been to Red Rocks. John, you are amazing!

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

Hey guys

I recently built a Doolin style bender. I love it, but I'd be interested in seeing John's bender in action first hand.

What I really like about the Doolin is the way the side indexes at the butt. How do you index the side on the Bluescreek?

This is the state of my bender SUC (still under construction).

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A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

Really nice job on the bender Rich!