Steel Guitar Builder

Hello guys,

The next one is on the paper:



It will be a squareneck wood tricone built like a weissenborn... hollow neck

Wood will be tasmanian blackwood
I'm a bit afraid as I never bent wood before...

Xavier

Judging by your last build I don't think your going to have a problem, everything I've seen on wood bending latly seems to be with a press using a heat 'blanket' made specifically for bending guitar sides. You could make the press I'm not sure what one of the heat blankets would run you. I bent the skinny sides for mine by hand and it was tricky, wider sides I would imagine would be even harder. Lookin forward to watching this one come to life!

Lets get started for the side mold:

This will certainly be a very interesting project, I am looking forward to following it.

It will be quite an exercise building these curve's in wood, I believe the original design in the 30's was metal bodied (much easier curving).

Ron Mc

Hi Chum,

I'm gonna follow this. Looks really neat. Keep on posting lots of photos my friend.

Paul

Xavier -

I'm posting this "for whatever its' worth" since it just may apply to your bending dilemma.

In the '60's, a friend and I began constructing classic guitars. We used Brazilian rosewood for the sides and backs. It was very plentiful at that time - before it was restricted in the late '60's (?).

We made an odd-shaped cylinder out of sheet brass - it had 3 different radii and one closed end. We heated it with a couple of those filament heaters that you can screw into a light socket. The rosewood was allowed to soak in plain water - at least overnight - before attempting to bend it. Upon contact with the heated cylinder, the water would turn to steam which facilitated the bending of the material. Constant checking of the bend(s) against a form gave us the curvatures desired.

This may - or may not - stimulate your imagination such that you can come up with something simple - and which will do the job - for your application.

Hope this helps.

Richard

Thanks Richard.

I finally ordered an Ibex binding iron, let's try it soon...

Here's the blueprint, comments wellcome




Xavier

Hey guys,

top is jointed and glued:



And the mold is almost finished:

This is looking very impressive Xavier.

Ron Mc

Thank you Ron

I just finished my very first side bending attempt: