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Hi, I have a light bulb bender i built a while ago and it has bent ash sides without any problems but i'm getting ready to bend some highly figured wood and don't want to take chances with it so i have my supersoft and i'm thinking about getting a blanket to use with my lightbulb bender.The plan is to use both the bulbs and blanket together so i get heat on both sides of the bend which i feel would be better for getting even heat on both sides of the bend.My question is, do you think this is a better way for success or not and why? Mark

Well, Jim Olson uses bulbs and a blanket to bend. I think it should work just fine.

Even heat is really the important thing, so using both is certainly more beneficial than using the bulbs alone. The blanket alone will work fine, but if you've go the bulbs too, go a head and use them.

Remember though that you have the potential to produce much more heat with the blanket and the bulbs, so take that in mind when you're setting up.

Practicing on a scrap might be a good idea too.

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Rod has nailed it !
Follow his advise.
all should be well.
What kind of figured wood?
Is it well quartered?

Mike

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Mike Collins

Quilted maple mainly and birdseye as well.And they are never quartered nor should they be for good figure.

We just bent both those woods here with lightbulbs only.
They were.080 (2mm) thick.
We did not wet them .
The slats have got to be so hot that water dances off & evaporates.
Burning can be prevented if you shut the jig off around 6 minutes.
Leave the sides in there to cool completley !!

Mike

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Mike Collins

Sounds good Mike.I also let mine cool down overnight with 2 cycles through the heat with the bulbs.I get less spring back that way.I have 3/ 200 watt bulbs on a dimmer right now, but i'm getting a blanket for the outside bend to get a more even heat and to help heat the wood faster.

I use both bulbs and a blanket on my bender, and I can switch them on and off independently. I don't use a thermometer, I just go by feel and spray some water on the outside slat to see how it behaves, which gives me an indication of the heat. I may switch one of the heat sources on or off accordingly, and adjust any other part of the process depending on how things develop. At any rate, I feel this set up gives me a adequate control over the process, and the two heat sources makes bending quite smooth and trouble free.

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Once you find a technique that works for you stay with it. I won't bend without a thermometer . I want to know how hot the blanket is. Most woods I bend at the 220 range and start at the lower bout and then upper followed by the waist. I gave up on light bulbs a long time ago. Breakage was about 10% with bulb and nill for blankets. When you look at the cost of the blanket , once you don't break 2 sets of wood you are ahead of the game . With a blanket you are done bending in 4 to 6 minutes from the time you turn on the machine. I do use a 15 minute set cycle and let it cool.
I only bent 200 sets last year with the machine.
john hall

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