Official Luthiers Forum!

I already bought 3-200 watt bulbs and ceramic fixtures (SEEMED TH CHEAPEST IDEA)and plan on building me a style fox bender with different shapes like dred and venitian cutaway. My question is : will it be okay for a beginner with hardwoods to use that system. or should i just throw my bulbs and fixtures away to the benefit of a blanket?

See my comments on learning to bend by hand.... again just my .02 worth, but I find hand bending skills a real plus. You can't use your fox bender for everything.....

but...

to address your question. Blankets are pretty cheap. If I were in your shoes I would pursue that course, but the bulbs will work ok too.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Serge I use bulbs, 3 at 150W's and have bent a total of one (1) set of sides, they are a venetian cut-away though. But there have been a TONNE of posts on this issue and the concensus is, once you use a blanket you will never go back. If you haven't built your jig yet go with blankets, there is a fair bit of work to get the inards all worked out for the bulbs that become useless once you get a blanket, save the extra time and money and start out right.....I now have to modify

Shane

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Canada

Definitely the blanket...if you only build one guitar it's worth it in my opinion...(besides, you KNOW you won't build just one guitar! ). Check Minco...their blankets are pretty cheap...John Hall from the forum here has 'em too and is a great guy to do bidness with.

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

I'll be the contrarian on this one. If you already have the bulbs, go with them. I did ok with them for the first 3 guitars. Then I got the blanket and controller from John Hall. I now use the bulbs and a blanket and it goes a lot faster.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

I would second the comment that hand bending is a very valubale skill to have. For a bender though? I would go straight to the blanket.

Serge, You can bend with bulbs. I did one or two with bulbs only, then added the blanket on top of my wood. That seemed to work great as long as the temperature in the mold and at the blankets are monitored closely.

I highly recommend investing in the 12 dollar digital cooking thermometer from Walmart.

After a few episodes on scorching sensitive wood at the waist, flamed big leaf maple and pomele sapele, even Indian Rosewood. I added a new step to my bending, following Taylor's outside only bends principle.

Now I hand bend my waist over an electric pipe bender and let it cool fully. Then I toss it into my side bender, crank the bulbs and blanket. Monitoring the temps with the thermometer has helped immensely in the bending scenario.

I've successfully made most every mistake one can make after seventeen sets of sides. Just when I thought side bending was going to get boring Bob Cefalu sells me a set of stunning Imbuia Brazilian Walnut. Hmmmm.... I wonder what that will smell like in the cooker?

I think JJ has a point at the end of the day if you have the bulbs etc use those, there is no doubt that bulbs work fine, and a blanket should you choose to get one in the future will be easier not harder. Seems a shame to waste your investment. I would guess there are a million and one other things you need to buy.

Thanks to everyone here, it seems that the consensus is to have the blanket after you tried everything else, Right ? I sure appreciate your thoughts on this matter, and since my first sets of hardwood (real wood in my case ) are about to come home, i just didn't want to take any chances.

For the next 2 builds, i'll probably use those lightbulbs since i've got them and buy myself the blanket as well! Sure would help to control the temperature.

And yes Russell,i already spent a fortune so far and another to come
Thanks again

SergeSerge Poirier38722.9237615741

I may be the odd man out here,but I have bent every side and binding,purfling etc. for guitar,mandolin and lute I have made (about 50 instruments) on either a propane fired pipe(my first couple of guitars I used a coffee can-really,I did!!) or an electric bender.
I sort of like it at this point.

I know John Greven still does it this way, and I believe he has made 25 or 30 instruments a year.

just my 2 cents...

I've got a new set-up with a blanket from John Hall at Blues Creek and it works beautifully.I've only bent 4 sets so far but with the thermometer and blanket on top it has been fine.I Definatly reccomend John, He'll give you all the help and advice you need.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

I use a fox style bender with lights and a blanket. I also use the the spot thermometer that StewMac sells to tell when I am at the right temp. (About 310 degrees F for most stuff)

That said, I still bend a lot of stuff by hand. For that I have a the electric bender that is sold in the catalogs but one of the very first tools I made was a cheapo heat pipe. It was quick and crude, but I use it often. The great thing about it is it heats up in seconds, (ok maybe a minute) and it cools rather quickly too.

It is made from a 300 watt bulb and some 4" stove pipe and a dimmer (to control heat) OK I know this thing is crude and I am almost embarrased to post this but it was so simple and it works great!

Here it is:



You can't get a really tight bend with this one so that is why I bought the benders sold in the catalogs.
johno38722.9562152778

Hi Brad, i could not use the heated pipe in my(no windows) shop, but the electric bender for mandolin building is very attractive especially in f5 building i guess, which is something i sure would like to achieve one day! And also for binding.

thanks Serge

Hi Serge

The other thing I would suggest which every system you go with, get some practice in before you go with your nice new set. If you ask some of the vendors here they may have some practice wood.

Warmest Regards

Serge as you can see from all the good advice above there are many ways that work well. The key here is to learn a method and be comfortable using it. Practise is the key. The more you bend the better you will get. Oh I use the blanket and bender from John Hall but also have a hot pipe torch setup as well as the electric pipe.

[QUOTE=Dickey]Just when I thought side bending was going to get boring Bob Cefalu sells me a set of stunning Imbuia Brazilian Walnut. Hmmmm.... I wonder what that will smell like in the cooker?[/QUOTE]
Bruce Imbuia does have a peculiar odor but I like it.

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Hi Russell and Bob, i saw a few sets of wood that nailed my chin to the cement floor of my shop. i think i'm gonna go with the blanket and bulbs, kinda like the cheapo bender too, you never know, just in case,Thanks JOHNO and Dave!

Russell, i will follow your advice with practice wood and Bob, i'll follow your advice too.BTW Bob, i followed your example already by making a drum sander a bit similar to yours,here's a piccy.

Serge

Serge Poirier38723.3625231481