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I am getting ready to start my first kit by studying up and building tools. I was all set to make a bending iron powered by an incandescent light bulb when I found out they are now illegal to make or sell. I get it, and love LEDs.

I've searched for alternatives, like ceramic heat bulbs and the like, but would like to find something without spending a lot of time and money in trial and error.

I'm thinking propane torch or cartridge heater. Anyone have a recommendation? I've ruled out an expensive purchased bending iron; too much money for what may wind up as a one-off build.

Thanks,

Mike

Electric charcoal starter would do it.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=charcoal+sta ... fgars32n_e

Yep. Aluminum pipe and a charcoal lighter.
My pipe is 3". Too big for tight bends so I'd recommend 2.5".

I put a reostat on mine but I've always used it at full heat.

I was given a bending iron made by a friend from a piece of aluminum boat mast that had a 300W bulb in it. I did not find it hot enough. I was also given a rough cobbled-together bender with a smaller pipe that had a cone heater in it - the kind you used to see in dish-shaped portable heaters (old bender in the rear of one photo). I put the cone heater in the boat-mast bender and it works pretty well. It screws into a normal lamp base (which I think should be porcelain). But now I am looking for another one to resurrect the smaller pipe bender for ukulele rosettes and the like. Unfortunately they are now regarded as "vintage" so finding a bargain on a used one is more difficult. Here is one supplier that stills sells them new (different wattages are available):

https://www.processheating.com/products ... e-heaters/ Bruce W.

Another option is a heat gun, something like this:
https://www.wagnerspraytech.com/product ... furno-750/

I've tried a propane torch; it sort of works, but it's almost impossible to maintain a set temperature.

Bruce, I've never seen a cone heater before, but looks like it would work well. What watt level do you have or recommend?

I have a heat gun and that would be easy to try, and easy to switch to another option.

Some of those charcoal starters are akin to heat guns. I've seen some use the electric version, but they usually have to be squeezed more narrow, which seems like it might damage them, but some say to do it when they're hot. Cheap enough to try it.

Thanks all for the replies. Seems like there are several options. The light bulb, though, just is so cheap, simple, and easily adjusted with a dimmer. But I'll just pick one and see how it goes.

Mike
The electric briquette starter bends pretty easy. No problem when I squeezed it into the 3" OD pipe. This size pipe is great for a Dred or OM size guitar. You just need smaller for a cutaway.

Mike, I think mine is 600 or 660 watts, made by Eagle if memory serves. If you can find an old bowl-shaped portable heater with a cage on the front, it may have one of these in it. Maybe a second hand store or thrift store. I was trying to find a 1000 watt one, but I thought that was too much for standard light switch type dimmers. In any event, the 600 watt version is hot enough. Part of my problem was using a laser thermometer on it, which did not read correctly for some reason. This was easy for me as there was already a light bulb screw base in my existing pipe. But as Kevin says the smaller pipe would be better - I may modify mine until I find another cone heater. Bruce.

Bruce,

The link took me to PHCo which has them for 120V and from 100 to 1,000 watts for a reasonable price. They're located in Seattle so I think I'll call them. a little web search shows a rheostat can be used in space heaters, so seems like a suitably rated dimmer would work to adjust the heat output.

I like the idea of using an electrical source for the iron's heat. With a torch, there's the problem of venting the hot gas from the flame, and the issue of an open flame, which is always carries some risk. The cone heater is just a nichrome coil wound on a ceramic base, a space heater in a light bulb size.

I found TEMPCO heating elements on Amazon. They also screw into a ceramic bulb fixture but are encased in ceramic, it appears, and don't have the exposed glowing coil. I'm not sure ow hot they get, though.

What ever you use think SAFETY
The electric charcol lighters may be more available
https://www.amazon.com/WishDirect-Elect ... r=8-4&th=1