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| bending sides, thickness http://w-ww.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=12494 |
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| Author: | Stefan [ Mon Jun 18, 2007 11:27 am ] |
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Hi all, First let me say thanks for all the wonderful advice folks in this forum have provided on the other questions I asked. This time around its about side thickness. I've built one dreadnought so far. The side thickness was about 3mm. I'm trying an orchestra model now. The first attempt at bending I sanded my sides down to 2.2 mm. One side turned out great. The other side I must have flexed in my grip so as to bend them in a longtitudinal sense. Trying to get that out, I ruined it! This time around I went back to the 3mm thickness. The waist bend though proved difficult. I got a crease, (like you'd get if you folded a piece of poster card board) and still haven't got it bent enough. I'll keep going on it because I might as well, but have a feeling that another set is toast. Doh! The wood is mahogany, btw. Question: What is a good thickness for mahogany? Thanks for any advice Stefan |
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| Author: | David R White [ Mon Jun 18, 2007 11:38 am ] |
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I bend Mahogany sides at around .08"-.085". I think 3mm is too thick. |
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| Author: | Blanchard [ Mon Jun 18, 2007 11:51 am ] |
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There is no good thickness for mahogany !! The stuff just doesn't bend well. A standard dread isn't too bad, but cutaways on any shape are a nightmare !! If it's figured mahogany with a cutaway, be prepared to shed tears. I bend most woods at about .090" (2.3mm) 3mm is to thick. Mark |
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| Author: | crazymanmichael [ Mon Jun 18, 2007 12:00 pm ] |
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i would agree that 3mm, ~0.11" is too thick for bending mahogany, and most other woods, particularly if there is any figure or if the bends are tight. 2.2mm, ~0.086 is about what might be considered a medium thick side in general, a probably a bit thickish for mahogany, whilst being quite ok for eir, for example. i generally take mahogany down to 0.075-0.080" for simple shapes like a dreadnaught. if the bends are tight, or complex,say a venetian cutaway, i'll go down to 0.060-0.070", dependent upon complicating factors such as the species, figure, etc. |
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| Author: | Michael Lloyd [ Mon Jun 18, 2007 1:15 pm ] |
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Rosewood, Maple and Koa I've bent quite easily at 2.0 mm. On a cutaway, down to 1.0 mm on the horn. Generally I will go to 2.0 mm on most woods or less depending on the bend. |
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| Author: | WaddyThomson [ Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:39 am ] |
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[QUOTE=Hesh1956]I have had good luck bending highly figured Mahogany at .080.[/QUOTE]That would be 2.032 mm - so it seems to be a good thickness, generally. |
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| Author: | Arnt Rian [ Tue Jun 19, 2007 2:16 am ] |
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Some mahogany just refuses to bend, and spring back can be ridiculous. I thin it to about 2 mm and hope for the best. My first guitars were mahogany, and I only had a hot pipe to bend the sides, yikes! I found that one piece of wood could act very diffrently from the next because some times it was OK, other times... |
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