Side Bender Questions

[naccoachbob]

I am sooooooooooooooooo tempted. I really like the idea of controlling the temp as accurately as they say it does.

[kencierp]

I would suggest that one use caution and wait for some consumer evalution regarding the LMII bender -- this is only my opinion viewed through my engineering eye my first question would be --- what's it going to cost me to upgrade the machine to a device that can make a cutaway? Also, I can see that over time the cantilevered arm racking to one side is not good -- although the arm is metal the base is wood -- maybe not. I'd ask the question of LMII what is the real world change over time from one style to another? For that matter how long does it take to bend a side? I'd weigh the cost of the LMII exclusive forms - plus their limited selection. Lastly the hand cranky motion required to compress the side and all the layers blankets, slats etc. seems it would get old in a hurry? Bottom line for me is I'd like to see a real time start to finish set of sides being bent on the LMII sales video -- not just the selling points. Also note the LMII control panel does not have a shut off timer -- a real engineering short fall, to me like a car without seat belts. On the other hand it may be the best thing since sliced bread? However, again in my opinion that remains to be seen.

So, here's my plug for John Hall's bending machine. If I recall correctly the prices guys told me John charged, one could buy his machine, a timer, a bunch of molds, John's small waist repair blanket --- and end up with money to spare!! $.02

[longbow]

All the talk about sides, I had a heck of a time with blood wood bindings tried hot pipe, but feeling the heat in a little stick ...well I should have ordered 5 not 4. I had done maple before, they seemed easyer. I bought Ken Cierps templates so I cut out a plywood mold for a 00 -14 fret. And used a HOT AIR GUN and slowly worked it like a bending machine on the mold. I thougt it worked better then the pipe. I had used the hot air deal when making Bows...recurving the tips, osage orange wood bends like gum, but the white woods we had to steam. Just shows you the diff. in different woods.....PS Sir tony if ya did'nt live in the big city maybe you would have a basement for cry-yah-i ...kidding .......=] Longbow

[Ben-Had]

I have two of these - 1 dreadnought, 1 OM/OOO. Under $50, not including the heating blanket and controller, ss slats, timer/digital thermometer. Used my molds as templates. Don't do cutaways yet.

[kencierp]

does not get much more simple than this bulbs or blanket

http://www.lint.org/TechNotes/lowcostbender.html

[naccoachbob]

John, if you could chime in. I'm looking at your side bending machines.
As Ken said, the fact that yours applies pressure to the waist down both sides is a big plus over LMI's.
Your molds are less expensive than theirs and so is the whole machine. You mention a timer controller. Does it both set a stop time and control the temp? I'm attracted to a temp controller that can set a specific temperature like the controller at LMI. Do you sell something like that? Can they be bought at other places cheaper than LMI? Is that much precision of temperature really important? Or is a range of temps good enough?
Please toot your horn on this one. I've spent enough money at LMI on things that are overpriced to my way of thinking.
Bob

[kencierp]

Bob,
Usually the bending machines come with a dimmer switch or a router speed control, ( I think John can provide a router speed control) anyway, the heat blanket is plugged into that, if you add and plug one of these
http://www.energyfederation.org/consume ... bAodrkoIbg

into the speed controller and then plug in a 500 watt blanket you can monitor the current used -- so happens that there is a good corrolation between wattage and temperature in this partiular case. So if you set the control/dimmer so the blanket draws 275 watts it turns out the temperature is about 275 degrees. The first device in the circuit is the timer shut off switch -- a 20 amp one hour bathroom fan/heater/light contol is best.

[tippie53]

I found the lower wattage blankets can't handle the thermal load I found a 5 watt per inch works best. I do use a router controller that is actually a vsi switch. As for the bending , wood just knows it is hot . I have some vids here to show how the bender works . http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... nding&aq=f. As an engineer I believe in simplicity. This will do the job for you . These benders are used at PRS guitars . I like to run the controller of full till I get things bent. I hold temps to 375 then set to L for about 200 to 250 for the rest of the 15 minute cycle .
You should be finished bending in 4 to 5 minutes . Also think of heating the slats to heat and press the wood .

[kencierp]

This company was very helpful during the design stage of our benders

http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref= ... Nav=heam01

Blankets, controllers, timers, tech advice -- you name it they have it.

[Ken Hundley]

Though I use the dreaded lightbulb bender, I too preheat the slats before putting the wood into them. Doing it this way, I bend a side in about 3 minutes, unless it is a cutaway. I leave it in there for a full timer cycle (15 minutes), the let it cool until cold. If I am in a rush, I will actually take the form out of the unit and turn it upside down, cools off faster. I can bend the next side usually within 20 minutes of removing the first one.

I do need to come up with a better clamp/caul, the wingnuts suck if the wood is stiff. It was cheap,a nd worked perfectly the first time, so I never changed it. I think it's time to rebuild the thing into something a little more user friendly, especially for the cutaways.

The great thing is that, even though I use the bulbs, it is dirt simple to convert to a blanket when I can afford to.