Homemade bending pipe

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Monkmusic
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Location: York Maine USA
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Homemade bending pipe

Post by Monkmusic »

Hey folks. Still on my first build. I decided I wanted to use EIR bindings instead of the black plastic that came with the stewmac kit. Got this 8" black pipe at Home Depot were the clerk told me that you can't heat galvanized pipe. I'm so glad I asked. Anyway, it was cheap and it works well. I might try to bend sides with it at some point in the future.

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I also used the pipe as an anvil to install the frets. Learned this from one of John Hall's videos.

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I am officially addicted to this hobby. It's been a blast.

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tippie53
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Location: Hegins, Pa
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Re: Homemade bending pipe

Post by tippie53 »

I know what you mean I am currently on #174
John Hall
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ColestineGuitar
Posts: 135
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2011 10:30 pm

Re: Homemade bending pipe

Post by ColestineGuitar »

Hah! I've got a nearly identical setup in my shop. I've used it to bend sides. Problem is, it takes... ummmm... skill. I'm working on a bending method that doesn't require as much... skill... as the pipe, or as much Money as a fox-style bender. So far I've used a household iron to good effect. The only downside to the iron is wearing the frilly apron.

Still, I've seen people who are very good with a simple pipe like you have there. It works!
Slowest builder on the forum. These things take time. Apparently.
David L
Posts: 1319
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 8:04 pm
Location: Slidell, La

Re: Homemade bending pipe

Post by David L »

In my opinion you made a good decision the go with wood binding instead of plastic. I personally think that plastic makes a guitar look, well, cheap. I have seen some nice looking guitars with plastic binding but wood just makes it look more prestigious. I'm just not a big fan of plastic anything.
Oh yeah, keep posting pictures, we love pictures!!!

David L
 

Re: Homemade bending pipe

Post by   »

Hey Monk, I thought everyone knew not to ask questions at Home Depot. :-))
Nice set of photos and nice job on the guitar. How did the headstock get
damaged? Did you receive it that way?
-tommy
Linus
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Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:41 pm

Re: Homemade bending pipe

Post by Linus »

Why can't you heat a galvanized pipe?
JLT
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Location: Sacramento, CA USA

Re: Homemade bending pipe

Post by JLT »

Linus wrote:Why can't you heat a galvanized pipe?
My guess would be that when the zinc heats up, it out-gasses and is not good for you to breathe.
MaineGeezer
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Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: Homemade bending pipe

Post by MaineGeezer »

I did something similar with a piece of heay-wall aluminum pipe, which I beat on a bit with a sledgehammer to make it oval and give a choice of radii. I stuffed a sort-of helix of aluminum flashing inside to attempt to swirl the torch flame and give better heat transfer.

So far I've used it only to bend the sides for my dulcimer project, which required much more gentle bends than a guitar would. It worked pretty well, but I'll get to really test it with the upcoming bends of guitar sides. Or I may use Carter's electric bending iron.


(Carter is the luthier who's guiding me through my guitar build project.)
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
mnmusic
Posts: 141
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Location: Minnesota

Re: Homemade bending pipe

Post by mnmusic »

JLT wrote:
Linus wrote:Why can't you heat a galvanized pipe?
My guess would be that when the zinc heats up, it out-gasses and is not good for you to breathe.
That is correct so please everyone don't use galvanized pipe for a bender. Another tip. If you use black pipe, it's coated with a type of vanish to protect it. It would be a good idea to clean it off with some denatured alcohol.
David L
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Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 8:04 pm
Location: Slidell, La

Re: Homemade bending pipe

Post by David L »

Burning it off would probably be more fun but again, careful of the fumes. (frigging pyro)

David L
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