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I have heard about ppl starting to experiment with waterbed heaters as heating blankets for bending sides - I have used variable temp waterbed heaters to control the reservoir temperatures of hydroponic systems and have a pile of them in my junk shed.
Unfortunately I never heard the outcome of these experiments, anyone have an idea if this works?.
Cheers
Charlie

Charlie, I doubt they give you enough heat wattage per square inch. I've been buying mine from Minco in Minneapolis since I found them. Olson started the blanket thing, he's in the same town. I wonder if there is a connection?

Grab one and plug it in over a thermometer probe and see what happens. Stand near the breaker box, and ready the fire extinguisher...

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

It won't work. You need that blanket to get at least 250 degrees Farenheit before the wood will even think about giving into your will. I doubt that the waterbed heaters will get over 100.
Same concept, not enough heat.
-j.

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“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

I remember this conversation now. We tossed out the idea that they could be used to drive excess humidity from topwood. Kind of like baking them in the oven, but very gently over a period of time.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Charlie, believe me, John Hall is the solution here! unless you are ready to build a bender with at least 3-200 watts bulbs?

I bought my heat blanket recently but i should have bought it months ago, it's a real good investment!

SergeSerge Poirier38832.7635185185

Charlie a fox bender with 3 x 200 watt bulbs will bend your wood just fine for starters. If you plan on doing cutaways -- a hot pipe is waiting for you in the plumbing section of Home Depot.

John Hall (Blues Creek) sells really nice heat blankets. Had I not already had an OMEGA I would have purchased one of John's.   The OMEGA's are cheaper but don't come with all the bells and whistles that John's do.

Serge -- I want your temperature gauge

If you are looking for cheap, then you are also looking for screwing around with something that only partially works.

Now if you really want the absolute best system that is available, I would hands down suggest the system made by Tom Durr, Doc's Mandolins. It has absolutely perfect temperature control, and you don't have to second guess what your thermometer is actually telling you because you can physically set it to the exact temperature that you want and be assured that your wood is being heated to that temperature.

Not the cheapest system, but way better than anything else out there. I would not trade mine for anything.

I think Tom goes by the name "mandomaniac"

Grant

[QUOTE=Anthony Z]

Serge -- I want your temperature gauge [/QUOTE]

Ain't it a cute one huh ?





Pwwecious gift from John Hall!

[QUOTE=Bruce Dickey] I remember this conversation now. We tossed out the idea that they could be used to drive excess humidity from topwood. Kind of like baking them in the oven, but very gently over a period of time. [/QUOTE]

I was the one that started that thread. I don't remember the temp I achieved but it was far from what's needed. Search the archives I'm sure it's there. I think in the end the only real use for it was deemed to be a parts warmer for use when using hide glue.

Mine was pretty stable over a long (30 min) period of time. No meltdowns. I haven't started using hide glue, but I intend to. I'll report back on how the parts warmer works...