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| Tips on bending maple? http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=54013 |
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| Author: | Pat Foster [ Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:32 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Tips on bending maple? |
I just got an order for a maple guitar for the first time. Never bent maple. The customer selected a set that' s hard, with mild fiddleback, well-quartered. Any tips, gotchas? TIA |
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| Author: | J De Rocher [ Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:36 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tips on bending maple? |
Are you using a bending machine or hot pipe? |
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| Author: | Pat Foster [ Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:41 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tips on bending maple? |
J De Rocher wrote: Are you using a bending machine or hot pipe? Both. I usually do the waist on a pipe, then a simplified Fox-type machine. |
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| Author: | J De Rocher [ Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tips on bending maple? |
I've only bent four maple side sets, all on a hot pipe. Two were curly maple, one was curly Ambrosia maple, and one was birdseye maple. One thing I learned for curly maple was to not wet the outside surface of a bend when using a hot pipe. The water weakens the fibers on the curls and they want to lift and break. Wetting only the inside prevented that from happening. The Ambrosia maple was one of the easiest side sets I've bent of any kind of wood. The birdseye maple was more of a challenge because the birdseyes are points of inflexibility and the sides tended to want to bend in facets because of them. It still worked though. |
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| Author: | Jim Watts [ Sat Mar 13, 2021 8:17 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tips on bending maple? |
Using a sheet metal backer can help, I'd also thin out the waist a little more. I haven't bent too many sets of maple, but the Jay's tip about bending on the drier side sounds right to me. |
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| Author: | DennisK [ Sun Mar 14, 2021 12:43 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tips on bending maple? |
Wet paper towel on the hot pipe is what helps the most for me. |
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| Author: | bluescreek [ Sun Mar 14, 2021 5:50 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tips on bending maple? |
maple is easy don't over wet it |
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| Author: | TRein [ Sun Mar 14, 2021 6:46 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tips on bending maple? |
It's been awhile but I believe aluminum foil used in bending will stain maple. |
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| Author: | Ruby50 [ Sun Mar 14, 2021 8:37 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tips on bending maple? |
Rank amateur here with only 6 guitars on the hot pipe. Just bent a set of pretty complicated figured maple and did not know to be cautious - it bent beautifully with no special treatment Ed M |
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| Author: | bluescreek [ Sun Mar 14, 2021 10:04 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Tips on bending maple? |
here is a trick use a cloths iron with steam don't over work it but once you feel it getting loose set the iron down and hold to shape to set the curve Maple usually bends easy |
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