Fixing bumpy bending curves
Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2023 11:18 pm
I had issues when bending the sides for this Australian Blackwood dreadnought; I mentioned it in another thread. I got bumps across the grain in the lower bout. I tried to coax them into a smooth curve first with the bending iron (no luck) then heating the insides of the curves with the bending iron while I heated the outside with an iron (no luck) and then finally I put the sides back in the Fox bender I use (otherwise successfully) misted with Windex etc. and making sure the affected lower bouts were well heated. The bumps would not budge. So I tried putting cleats vertically across the sides on the inside of the lower bout where the offending bumps were on the outside. They are not subtle - about 7/8" wide, and they look like "what the heck was he doing there?" But I have to say that they have helped a lot to flatten the bumps, so much so that I think some sanding will give me fair curves in the end. And if the sides get thinned a little in the process, there is some reinforcement behind them. Interestingly, the bumps are in nearly the same locations, two on each side, on the bookmatched sides, so I am wondering if it was something in the wood that caused it. It's an unorthodox fix for sure, but at least it is buried deep in the lower bout, and I am happy that I may get a decent guitar out of this nice tonewood. Bruce W.