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Ok, what's the secret to bending bloodwood bindings on a pipe. I've tried supersoft,soaking in water and dry. I don't want to build a form for every guitar shape that I try so I would like to stick to the hot pipe. I did buy the electric one from LMI. I like it alot and don't miss the fumes from the torch! Clinton

I have never had any real issue with bloodwood on a form or pipe. Are you cracking the upper bout or waist? What is happening. Are you feeling the wood reach the relax stage or are you tring to force the bend. Are you using a back up slat?

I've not bent it.

Sometimes it's just the stock. It may have excessive runout. I had that on some Sapele sides once, just about 45 degree breaks, which are clues to grain orientation in the stock.

How's it breaking? Pics, pics are good....

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

I'm sure i've heard people complaining before. That being said, I bent dry bindings on a pipe with no problems. I also have some veneer which is splintery, unfortunately.

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Build log

Breaks easily along grain runout. Otherwise neither easy nor especially difficult to bend.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Bent fine for me too...using a form.

GG

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Gwaltney Guitars

It was on the cutaway. It didn't really snap but more of a release just as I was almost there with the bend. No warning no cracking. It just seemed "splintery"? On a 45 deg angle across the height of the binding. Frustrating for sure. I thought about dyeing maple red and get on with it. Thank you for your replies, sometimes I wonder about myself when I'm the only one that has troubles with this. Clinton

You're not the only one... posted the exact same question here about a month ago. Couldn't get the stuff to bend without breaking to save my life. Finally thinned the binding down to almost a pencil thin line, and then still had to bend 7 or 8 to get 4 good ones.

Me thinks the stuff is VERY sensitive to ANY run-out, and mine had it.

Good luck, Colin

I have had the same problem with bloodwood binding. I think that the runout is a killer. I am about to bend a set on a form for my current project. I was hoping someone knew some magic fix. Problem is,for me, it is hard to see the runout until it snaps. Then, it is quite obvious.

Donovan

Just go very slow. Put a lot of heat, even if they get a little scorched. You can scrape/sand the black with no problems and still have enough thickness. I doubt the ones I did were master grade runout free by some miracle. But I bent them really slow, fearing they might snap - it was my first bending attempt.

You can also have someone help you with a clothes iron from above, making a heat sandwich.

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Build log

What's up with all the emoticons? It's like a cartoon out there…

Anyway, although bloodwood tends to be brittle it bends well, it likes it dry, hot and fast. Too much moisture and time on the pipe will help the wood fracture along the grain lines. If the crack is clean and partial, and the bend close enough, it glues back very well and invisibly with CA.
You can see runout by looking at the side grain.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Ok, no emoticans. You say you can see grain runout on bloodwood binding by looking at the side?

I thought I should induce moisture seeing how brittle bloodwood seems. Obviously I wasn't correct in my reasoning. I will try again dry and hot. Thanks! Clinton