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First Experience Bending Sides
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Author:  ozziebluesman [ Mon Dec 31, 2007 1:55 pm ]
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Hello everyone,

Well the new bending iron arrived so this weekend just gone was going to be the bending phase of my weissenborn copy guitar build. Started out real good and I think I have the feel for the bending process. I had about six practise goes on some scrap wood to get a feel. Not near as hard as I thought it would be !!! I spent about half an hour continuous bending on the side then the iron died.  Checked out all the obvious causes like fuses etc but the iron is dead. Damm !!!!

Has anyone had problems with Ibex bending irons? I used the iron on 6 not high as it spells out on the instructions stuck to the side of the device. The iron will not heat up at all now!!!  Wonder how warranty will go? LMI are pretty good dudes to deal with and thats why I bought the iron from them !!! Pity, it looks like their having a holiday like me over the festive season. Them the breaks !!! I have emailed them with my plight.


Here are two pics of my effort.





I have a couple of questions you may be able to help me with.


1. I scorched the waiste section. How do I get that off? Next side I will use some alloy paper or something like that to stop that !!


2. I have a slight warp where the tail block will be glued. Before bending I soaked the wood for 5 minutes in hot water in the bath. Seemed to work good for the bending process. Can I just spray water on this area and touch it up on the iron or do I need to soak the whole side again? The waist bend is not right as is the upper bout so those areas will need to be wet again.



BTW i have the lower bout curved nicely and it fits in the mould beautifully and no problems with splits or damage thus far other than a little scorching. Yippee !!!!

Happy New Year everyone.

Cheers

Alan
Author:  FishtownMike [ Mon Dec 31, 2007 3:54 pm ]
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Sorry to here that about your iron. i have and ibex and have had no problem. I didn't get it from LMI. I got from someone in canada. About the scorch you can try and sand it out if its not to bad. You might need to reduce the heat somewhat if your scorching. You need to get a surface temprature gauge to monitor the temp of the iron. I have an infared temp gauge. Different woods need different temps. Most woods bend somewhere between 250 to 320 so you need to be sure your irons not to hot. I think they can hit at least 400 degrees or higher.
Author:  Allen McFarlen [ Mon Dec 31, 2007 6:00 pm ]
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My iron doesn't seem to get hot enough to scorch wood. Even if it's been on for 1/2 hour it just doesn't get that hot. Hot enough to make water sizzle though. I haven't heard from anyone else whether their ibex iron will get that hot. If it doesn't then perhaps your's really is a 110 volt that was mis-labeled as 240. Would explain why it died so quickly.

The only way I can think of getting rid of the scorch mark is to sand it out, and hope that it doesn't go too deep. The sides are looking good so far. It would sure tick me off to get held up from building like that. Hope that you had some other parts of the build to keep yourself busy with.
Author:  Hesh [ Tue Jan 01, 2008 12:27 am ]
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Alan nice job M8.

I am sure that LMI will do right by you in as much as they are a real class act, Stew-Mac too.  But I am sorry that this happened to you.

When I bent on a pipe I did not soak my wood, instead I spritzed it with a spray bottle lightly, and repeated often so as to never really soak the wood.  I would re-spritz/spray when the moisture dried up.  When you use to much water cupping can be an issue.

The scorching can be very difficult and at times impossible to remove if as Allen said it goes to deep.  Use a sharp scraper and see how deep it is.  Also as Allen suggested if your iron was mislabeled "6" was actually "12" hence the scorching........

My iron is from LMI too and does a nice job but it did take a very long time to uniformly heat up - probably 1/2 and hour, and I bent with it set on "6" also.

Except for where a tight bend was required I had better luck turning the iron on it's side using the gentler curve which tended to heat a greater area at once.  I also try to keep the wood moving back and forth and not dwell in one spot.  And I used a stainless backing slat to help contain the heat and to reinforce the wood.

Congrats on learning to bend sides!
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Tue Jan 01, 2008 10:19 am ]
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[QUOTE=amcfarlen] If it doesn't then perhaps your's really is a 110 volt that was mis-labeled as 240. Would explain why it died so quickly.

[/QUOTE]

Wouldn't the plugs be different for a 240?
Author:  joelThompson [ Tue Jan 01, 2008 10:29 am ]
Post subject: 
[QUOTE=WaddyT]
[QUOTE=amcfarlen] If it doesn't then perhaps your's really is a 110 volt
that was mis-labeled as 240. Would explain why it died so quickly.
[/QUOTE]Wouldn't the plugs be different for a 240?[/QUOTE]

its probably a link on the transformer inside the iron that controlls the
voltage.
it is possable that it has been mis wired in the factory and then sent out
without a plug for wireing in europe.

i am sure that your supplier will be helpfull when they get back from
holliday.

good luck,
joel.
Author:  WaddyThomson [ Tue Jan 01, 2008 10:37 am ]
Post subject: 
I didn't think of that.  Thanks.
Author:  klepsap [ Wed Jan 02, 2008 4:58 pm ]
Post subject: 
I thought the plug configuration for both the international and north
american ibex benders were the same( north american prong style). On
the Lmii website it says an adaptor kit for the international benders can
be purchased which helps it to fit in most international style plug outlets.

The six setting and high setting are so close to each other. The
instructions do say to not leave the unit on a high heat for longer than
one minute or the unit could burn itself out. I'm not sure what they mean
by high heat. Is it on the actual high setting or just a general high heat
that they are referring too?

I hope it all works out for you Alan.

I've done worse to a pair of sides, if it makes you feel better.

Steve

Author:  Cuff [ Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:55 pm ]
Post subject: 

[QUOTE=klepsap]I thought the plug configuration for both the international and north
american ibex benders were the same( north american prong style). On
the Lmii website it says an adaptor kit for the international benders can
be purchased which helps it to fit in most international style plug outlets.

The six setting and high setting are so close to each other. The
instructions do say to not leave the unit on a high heat for longer than
one minute or the unit could burn itself out. I'm not sure what they mean
by high heat. Is it on the actual high setting or just a general high heat
that they are referring too?

I hope it all works out for you Alan.

I've done worse to a pair of sides, if it makes you feel better.

Steve

[/QUOTE]


 


they are compatible - ALS sells them with adaptors for Australian power plugs
Author:  Allen McFarlen [ Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
Mine came with the European style plug. Just cut it off and installed the Aussie style. No problems M8
Author:  ozziebluesman [ Thu Jan 03, 2008 12:53 am ]
Post subject: 

Hey everone,


Thanks for your support and advise. I managed to sand the scorch marks out without too much trouble. The LMI shop is closed over the hoilday break so I will have to wait for them to open up again to get something done about the iron.


G'day Steve.


The iron was used on 6 continuous for about half an hour. It wasn't used on high at any stage and yes they are close. I bought an international adapter for it from a Dick Smith store here in Oz. While the iron worked it seemed to be satisfactory.


G'day Allen.


Yep the oz plug is the trick.


Anyway, them the breaks


Thank you all


Alan
Author:  Richard Wilson [ Fri Jan 04, 2008 11:51 am ]
Post subject: 

If it won't heat anymore then it definitely sounds like you've got the 110V model and the rheostat gave up as it's not designed to handle 240V.


I no longer bend with the iron aside from the occasional binding etc. but I did a dozen or more guitars with mine and never once had any issue with scorching. I suspect leaving it on 6 is too much; once you've got it working again try around 4-5 as this is always where I'd have it and it was fine. If the wood is appropriately wet and the iron is at the right temperature then it won't be in contact with the iron for long enough to cause any visible damage to the wood.


If you're not getting a bend within a few seconds of it being on the wood then something's not right and you should stop as time certainly won't change it.
Author:  TonyFrancis [ Fri Jan 04, 2008 2:02 pm ]
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I leave mine on 2 and thats almost two hot if I dont work fast... Very inconsistent machines.
Author:  ozziebluesman [ Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:56 pm ]
Post subject: 

Ibex bending iron update,


Chris Herrod from LMI has been in contact with me and he is sending out a new heating element. If replacing that dosen't fix the problem then they will replace the iron for me. I am very happy with the service form LMI.


Richo, thanks for your input. Looks like it was inexperience on my behalf that has lead to the side scorching. Six is obviously too high.  


Tony I will try some more practise runs on two first and see how that goes.


Cheers


Alan
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