Side bending machine or a bending iron

Storebought or Homemade: Tell Us!
phavriluk
Posts: 554
Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:49 pm

Re: Side bending machine or a bending iron

Post by phavriluk »

Nice idea, but no. Ain't got no six hundred bucks for a storebought bending machine. That's why I raised my question.
peter havriluk
MaineGeezer
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: Side bending machine or a bending iron

Post by MaineGeezer »

Yeah, that's why I don't have one, either. Of course, a lot of the cost is in the heating blankets and steel sheets, which is fixed whether you build the rest of it or not.

As far as building the rest of it: They aren't all that complicated. I bet if you look at a few videos showing bending machines being used, and study pictures of them, you could figure out how to build one. Build it to accept a "standard" form and if you ever want to buy a form you can put it into your machine.

Building a form is something I have done, and while the process was a bit tedious it wasn't particularly difficult. Again, look at pictures of standard commercial forms to get the idea.
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Kevin Sjostrand
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Joined: Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:06 pm
Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Side bending machine or a bending iron

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

I built my bender for less than $70 worth of parts. I even used shop grade 3/4 plywood for the frame. Mine uses 3 x 150 watt light bulbs for heat, and it gets to 300 degrees in about 10 minutes, and bends like a dream so far.

An easy way to get a bender.

I made my first 5 guitars using an aluminum pipe with an electric charcoal lighter inside mounted to a board on legs with a rheostat switch, and that worked great too. And I think it cost me $25 to make it.

The fox style bender has made it quicker and more accurate and I'm glad I built it. Just now adding a ram for doing cutaways and made my first cutaway mold too.
Chardo
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2015 1:20 am

Re: Side bending machine or a bending iron

Post by Chardo »

do you have any pics?
what would you differantly if you did it over again
If it's to loud ...
rcnewcomb
Posts: 359
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:04 pm
Location: San Jose, CA, USA

Re: Side bending machine or a bending iron

Post by rcnewcomb »

Is the light bulb heated bender similar to the Spartan Bender described on Kenneth Michael's site?
Image
- Randall Newcomb
10 fingers in, 10 fingers out - another good day in the shop
Kevin Sjostrand
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Re: Side bending machine or a bending iron

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

Chardo, Randall.
The one built is similar inside to Ken's spartan bender in that it holds 3 large socket bulbs and is lined with the aluminum tape. I use 3 150 watt bulbs.
See the pics. It is a Fox Bender design. I use two SS spring steel slats, but the side between. I just spritz with water, no wrapping in paper or foil. Haven't found the need yet to do that. As you can see, my bender can reach over 300 degrees. I start bending the waist when it gets to around 250, then I go real slow on the bouts so the side has a little time to make contact with the hot bending form. Works like a charm. Total time is usually about 15 minutes from warm up to final bend.

On my bench right now is a cutaway form for my OM pattern and an almost completed ram press for the cutaway. I'll put up a pic when that is done later this week.
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Kevin Sjostrand
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Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Side bending machine or a bending iron

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

Pictures of the bending pipe I made are in the old forum archives, but if you are interested in what that looks like I can take a new picture of that for you.
Chardo
Posts: 43
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2015 1:20 am

Re: Side bending machine or a bending iron

Post by Chardo »

Thanks for the pics. They help a lot.
Would you change anything?
If it's to loud ...
Kevin Sjostrand
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Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Side bending machine or a bending iron

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

I might use a better grade of plywood, but otherwise it has worked great. I don't see any need for a heating blanket in my situation of building one to two guitars a year.
Now the light bulbs.......here in California they have been phasing out incandescent bulbs, so I stocked up on bulbs a few years ago, should have enough to last me many years.
rcnewcomb
Posts: 359
Joined: Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:04 pm
Location: San Jose, CA, USA

Re: Side bending machine or a bending iron

Post by rcnewcomb »

BTW, I'm bending my first set of sides on a pipe now. The previous builds were with pre-bent sides. My mentor suggested doing a few with a pipe to get the feel of the wood, and for some operations it may be quicker and easier. I eventually plan on building a side-bender, but for now I am enjoying the process. Bloodwood smells wonderful while bending and so far has been good to work with.
Last edited by rcnewcomb on Thu Feb 02, 2017 12:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Randall Newcomb
10 fingers in, 10 fingers out - another good day in the shop
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