Official Luthiers Forum!

I have taken the terrific Fox bender and redesigned it so that it can be made
by anyone with just a table saw and a few hours of time. Total price less
than $150.00. To see the design and how to build it go to Wells Guitars at
this link:

http://www.wellsguitars.com/Articles/BendingMachineRevised.h tml

I apologize for never being able to figure out how to do this! Enjoy!

_________________
Sylvan
http://www.wellsguitars.com

You are the man, that is really cool of you.

 

Sylvan,

What perfect timing, I have been making a bender that looks similar to yours - I also wanted to make something using only straight saw cuts. Your design is simplicity itself. Thanks also for the idea of using mirror hangers for the spring connection points.

_________________
53% of all statistics are made up on the spot
http://driftwoodguitars.blogspot.com/

I highly recommend that folks at least take a look at the Mike Doolin side bender design published a while back in American Lutherie. The Doolin design allows one to register the sides accurately at the butt joint much more easily than you can do with the Fox bender.

Sylvan thanks for posting this, I'm sure it will come in handy for many people over the years.

Rick, I agree with you on Mike Doolin's side bender. I made one and it works better for me than the fox style I made.

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Rick--

Is that AL#74 with Mike Doolin's bender?

Thx --Jim

_________________
Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC

I'm not sure which issue it is. I really need to organize all my ALs better.

We're phasing out the Fox benders in favor of a modified Doolin style. We use three stainless spring steel slats and it works pretty well. I may move up to a heating blanket on each side, though, to get the inside to dry faster.

Note that the heading blankets don't last forever, though. I may look for heavier duty ones.

Can someone post a picture of the doolin style bender?

David it's on his website. and email to Mike will give you the addy on the site.

_________________
http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Sylvan nice revision of an old standard.

_________________
http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Sylvan, having just rehung some old paintings I recognize the little hardware pieces, neat.

_________________
http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Thanks, Sylvan!

[QUOTE=Sylvan]
http://www.wellsguitars.com/Articles/BendingMachineRevised.h tml

I apologize for never being able to figure out how to do this! Enjoy![/QUOTE]

No apologies needed. If I recall you're one of us Mac misfits. You're probably doing all the right stuff, but notice that there's a space in html at the end of the url. Safari, when wrapping to the next line, puts this space into urls that are on lines too long to fit on one line. Use Firefox and the problems with pics and links will go away. I suspect this problem will go away when the new platform goes live.

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

I like it Sylvan...much simpler to make and if you start with a blanket and skip the lightbulbs you will never miss the lightbulbs and the extra height needed.

I don't understand how the Doolin bender lets you register the ends easier... am I missing something? 

_________________
Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils - Louis Hector Berlioz

Chansen / C hansen / C. Hansen / Christian Hansen - not a handle.

Christian

Sylvan,
Nice clean up of the Fox bender. If you don't need the light bulbs, it is a much simpler design.