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Hi, I'm new on the forums and at guitarmaking. People here seem to be an endless source of information, so maybe you can answer my present and future questions

Here's the deal. I'm in the process of making my first guitar ever and I didn't want to make it more difficult than it already is, so I bought an LMII serviced kit. My concerns are about the pre-bent sides, as I don't have a bending iron. During shipping, there was some springback. They can fit the mold with clamping pressure but I'm still wondering if there will be troubles with the tension build up when comes to time to assembly the whole thing. Any inputs?

Best regards,

Hey Alexandre! Welcome to the OLF!

Hesh is spot on as usual!    

My first kit guitar, also from LMI, had similar issues. I didn't have a pipe bender, and hadn't discovered the forum yet, so I just spritzed the sides with water, heated them with a heat gun, and clamped them into the mold to cool and dry. That helped, but in retrospect, I probably didn't have to this, and could have just followed Hesh's advice.

-Mark

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[QUOTE=Hesh1956]

If the force needed to make the sides follow the contor of the mold seems excessive to you with the potential for cracking a side touching up the sides on a bending iron would be advisable. If this is the case let us know and we can guide you through making an inexpensive bending iron out of a pipe and torch.

Welcome to the world of guitar building![/QUOTE]


Thanks for the warm welcome

Well I guess I'll be alright. I've left the sides in the mold for a few weeks (waiting for pre-carved neck that is being backordered) and I highly doubt they're ever going to crack.

As for the bending iron. I will probably need your guidance for a future guitar, next summer I guess.

Best regards,

Welcome, Alexandre!

As you probably know already, this is the best forum on the planet!

I had the same issue with the sides on my LMI serviced OM kit. I did what Hesh suggested and all went well.

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Bienvenue Alexandre! As long as it fits the mold, you should be all set. Once you glue on the kerfed lining, you'll find that the sides keep their shape much better.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Welcome to the one and only OLF,Alexandre

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Everone is right here. If you bend a set of sides and do not confine them they will spring back no mater how well or how long they were cooked. The fibers want to go to natrual state. When you bend you disrupt some of the fiber structure so they will maintain most of the bent shape but a good portion of the fiber will want to relax back to their original orientation.

You have nearly 1" of play on most woods in the lower bout of a 16" Lower bout. now as the radius of a bend gets tighter the less play you have in that part of the bend. so on a typical upper bout you may have only 1/4"-1/2" of flex with out over stressing the wood.

Welcome Alexandre!

I'll echo what was said here... If you want a little a little picture expose on cheap pipe and propane torch benders, let me know. I'll send you some pics. Mine cost me about 12$, and that's including the new propane torch!

Good luck!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Alexandre, you came to the right place! I do feel its my position to advise you that guitar making IS extremely addictive and that this forum is contaminated with WAS!!

Welcome!!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Salut Alexandre, Bienvenue a l'OLF !

Yup, the finest craftmen and craftwomen on the planet, helping and caring people you'll ever meet my friend and i'm proud to see another Quebecois on the forum!

I have built myself a side bender and use a heat blanket for my sides but the guys here are spot on with the pipe advice for starters, it will get you accustomed to feeling your wood and it will be useful even if you purchase or build a side bender later on your journey!

Have fun building and one more thing buddy, we love pics so share your progress as you go, weere a bunch of voyeurs!

Glad you found your way here!

Serge

Welcome!

ditto

Mike
White Oak, Texas

Thanks all for the warm welcome !
Merci Serge!

I'm currently building a Flamenco guitar based on Santos Herndandez 1933 Plans. I started in mid-August, but for now I can only work on the guitar on week-ends, thanks to university.

Here's a shot, will a lot of dust mind you , of my soundboard bracings. I'll be bracing the back next week-end if I have enough time.




Regards,

Alexandre,

I had the same problem with an LMI kit that I am building. The sides went into the mould without much fuss, but they did have a lot of springback.

I am also a newcomer to guitar building and to this forum. The forum has already been very helpful to me. The people here have been VERY helpful and encouraging to a newcomer.

Matt

Alexandre, looks like you got the hang of it, neat bracing! You're off to a really good start my friend!

What kind of glue did you use? Titebond or Hot hide glue?

Serge

Bienvenido Alexandre!

When I bend my sides on a pipe by hand I want the waist bend to be right on and then the upper and lower bouts I want a bit open, kind of like spring back. This way I have to push the neck end and the end block end of the sides into the form. This allows the side to hold itself up against the form. Sometimes springback can work to your advantage. I imagine this is the case with the LMI pre bent sides you got.
Buena suerte!

[QUOTE=Serge Poirier] Alexandre, looks like you got the hang of it, neat bracing! You're off to a really good start my friend!

What kind of glue did you use? Titebond or Hot hide glue?

Serge[/QUOTE]


I used fish glue actually :) Some people mentionned it on a flamenco forum so I thought I couldn't be wrong with it.

But I don't know much about wood glues, especially for guitarmaking... any difference on tone?

HHG and the fish glue you used are the most seeked since they don't creep and supposedly help transfer the sound better but i'm not an expert on wood glues either, i used regular carpenter's glue and HHG on my no 2 and i just know that my guitar sounds really good but as far as telling if the joints will hold, only time will tell!

I'll let the other pros elaborate on Titebond or any other glues :-)

Serge

Hello there Alexandre and welcome

Here is a link to a very inexpensive side bender, I'm sure you could get all of this stuff at a used builing supply house for under $5

Hope this helps with the bender anyway.

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