Official Luthiers Forum!

I know this info is here, somewhere, but I cannot seem to find it using my search terms. Could someone please point me to a post, or copy and paste a list or chart of recommended bending temperatures here? I know that some luthiers with silicone blankets just apply heat until the wood becomes plastic, but I am hoping to get a list of specific temperatures or temperature ranges that have been working successfully.

Hopefully, the list would include at least Maple, Walnut, Cherry, Koa, Cocobolo, E.I. Rosewood, and Ziricote.

A bonus would be if anyone could add temperatures for Granadillo, Madrone, Myrtle, Movangui, Black Limba, Osage Orange, Australian Blackheart Sassafras, Tasmanian Blackwood, Ovankol, Sapele, Katalox, the various Ebonies, ... you get the idea, any additional wood that you have bent and can offer a recommended bending temperature will be appreciated.

And, do you modify the temperatures if the wood is highly figured, such as "moonscape" Sapele?

Thanks in advance!

Dennis

_________________
Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

G'morning Dennis,

This is the closest that Ive found to a chart and everyone seems to suggest slight differences (10-20F) about temps for any particular wood, so I've had difficulty trying to compile a comprehensive list.

List in John Mayes article on 13thfret -
http://www.13thfret.com/articles/sidebending.html

Indian Rosewood: 300f
Mahogany: 310f
Maple (bigleaf): 290f
maple (European): 280f
Brazilian Rosewood: 305f
Cocobolo: 310f
Koa: 300f
Paduk: 310f
Walnut: 300f
Other Rosewoods: 300f

_________________
GregH
Fot Wuth

I know there has been several post that dealt with this but the truth is there is not exact temp for a specific species of wood. Wished there was. even on a the bender you have to pay attention to the wood and feel it relax. these temps I am about to give are just starting points for me to get the wood to before I start the bends


Mahogany, Sapele, Narra, most Rosewoods: 275 degrees
Koa , Tas. Blackwood, and other med dense hardwoods: 300 degrees
Ebony, Ziricote and other very dense hardwoods: 315 degrees

if high figured I still test the bend at the same temp but keep in mind that I treat high figured woods with SSII in advance.

Dennis,

An off-topic comment. I found an interesting 'word meld' website the other day. It takes one word and creates a new word by combining words that have a common prefix, infix, or postfix. I entered the word 'luthier' and it gave me back 'duluthier'. That is you, right?

http://www.hakank.org/prefix_meld/word_meld.html

_________________
GregH
Fot Wuth

hahahahaha! I think is should be dululhierookie!

Thanks, Greg!

Dennis (rookie luthier from Duluth)

_________________
Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Thanks, Greg and Michael. Yeah, I should have remembered that list was on John's site.

And, I know these numbers are only starting points, but I'm just starting so I need starting points. I have seen a couple of overcooked Cocobolo sides recently, and though I know they can probably be scraped down to remove the charred layer, I'd rather avoid that if possible. I slightly charred the waterfall Bubinga sides that I bent at 325°F, so I would say that the correct temperature for Bubinga is probably closer to 310°.

Michael, do you place Cocobolo in your "most Rosewoods" category at 275°, or in your "other very dense hardwoods" category at 315°?

Thanks,

Dennis

_________________
Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

I bend my sides by hand over a hot pipe. I was taught (by Sergei DeJonge) to just keep spritzing water on the pipe as it heats up until you see it bubble. That was hot enough for IRW. Although I thought this was over simplified for us Newbees.

Thanks GregH for the link to reference temperatures for other woods.

Micheal... what is SSll? How does it help with the figured woods?

I have never bent it as I can't tolerate it unfortunately, bought some and reacted almost as soon as I unpacked it

Hi Todd,

Good point about where the temperature is measured. Probably at best, anyone might take a chart of bending temperature by species, then try a few at those temperatures with their own setup, and then adjust/"calibrate" the entire chart to their rig and especially their temperature measurement method.

I have a silicone blanket with embedded thermocouple (J or K type, can't remember), and an Omron digital temperature controller. (Tom "MandoManiac" Durr's system)

Dennis

p.s. to GregE: SSII is Super-Soft 2 veneer softener. I just bought a quart, but have not tried it yet.

_________________
Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

As Dennis said it is a veneer softener. Spray it on the wood 2-3 days in advance and wrap in kraft paper to dry. It temporarily plasticizes the fibers there by making the wood easier to bend with less heat. Especially useful on high figured wood where the figure causes the grain to run out near 90 degrees like quilt figure

Hi Dennis;
I have Tom's system too & (although I haven't got it completely aced yet) I find I need to go about 10 degrees F over the recommended temps John Hall posted here a year or so back.
The only exception I've found is bigleaf maple, which will scorch easily at higher temps.
When I used John's numbers, the wood dried out before it became plastic enough to bend.
Todd's comment about where & how the temperature is measured is an important one.
I place a spring clamp at the bottom of the slat / wood / blanket sandwich to add some weight. If the lower bout doesn't "droop" fairly quickly (3 minutes or less) I try again at a higher temp.
Super Soft II helps a lot!

Thanks, Dan!

Hope all is well with you. Have not heard from you in a while. Still selling the world's finest Redcedar soundboards?

Dennis

_________________
Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia