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PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 2:08 am 
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Cocobolo
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Hi

I am about to bend my first sides, I will pre cut the taper on them before I bend which I intend to do on the band saw. Is there anyhting I should watch out for ?

John


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 2:39 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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You can mark both but only cut the profile for the back of the guitar and leave the top edge of the side straight for future reference, little shaping is required for 25' radius so this can be done quickly and easily with a block plane and radius dish when required.

Cheers

Kim


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 3:15 am 
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John,

Use pencil/chalk/tape to mark where the waist goes and be sure to line the marks exactly where the waist is going to be when you bend the sides. This will keep the grain looking nicely matched on both sides. Don't forget to bookmatch the sides (you want a left and a right - DAMHIKT)!

Actually, I cut both the top and bottom profiles on my sides (with my laser) before bending them. To ensure the side is exactly parallel prior to bending, I use a small try square on both ends (which are also cut dead straight by the laser) to align it perpendicular to the SS bending slat.

Cheers,
Dave F.

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PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 4:13 am 
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I would say that is you pre-taper before bending, make sure you don't end up with 2 left sides or 2 right sides.

Glenn


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 8:35 am 
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I find it saves quite a bit of time, and sometimes leaves me cutoff material for bindings. Here's a method I use to make a template, if I don't have a completed guitar to trace a side profile from. By Colin S

http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=8117%22

Pat

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PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 9:07 am 
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John: You can cut out or not before bending. Here is what works for me to bend with a form and blanket. I lay out the sides bookmatched on the bench,show side up. I put a piece of masking tape in the middle of both sides. This will always be up and showing during bending process. Another piece of tape on the heel end of each side to show for putting in the bender. I find this keeps me from second guessing myself as I go through the bending process and you always end up with a right and left side with the correct faces out.
Tom

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PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 11:55 am 
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The first thing I do before trimming the sides is to lay them end to end with the face sides up & the but ends touching. Then arrange for best bookmatch at the butt. This will often lead to the sides being staggered a bit. I make reference marks, then tape the sides together & plane or joint the top edges true. After that, I trim off any excess from the back edges, to use for bindings (if there's enough material), leaving at least 1/8" extra material.
After that, I do pretty much what Todd said.
If you trim your sides to the finished length, you'll have a bear of a time getting the last inch or so to bend smoothly into your heel & tail blocks. I leave an inch (if I can) on both ends, to be trimmed after bending. This is not an issue, if you're building a square shouldered dread with a flat butt block.


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 2:48 pm 
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Cocobolo
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Some great advice here, thanks.

I have made a template from my drawings so I intend to draw this on the sides - ensuring I have a left and right that eventually matches of course. I'll leave the top side parallel and a little over size (its a 28 degree top radius)

Is the band saw the way to go and is there much clean up ?

John


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 2:49 pm 
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Dave Fifield wrote:
John,

Use pencil/chalk/tape to mark where the waist goes and be sure to line the marks exactly where the waist is going to be when you bend the sides. This will keep the grain looking nicely matched on both sides. Don't forget to bookmatch the sides (you want a left and a right - DAMHIKT)!

Actually, I cut both the top and bottom profiles on my sides (with my laser) before bending them. To ensure the side is exactly parallel prior to bending, I use a small try square on both ends (which are also cut dead straight by the laser) to align it perpendicular to the SS bending slat.

Cheers,
Dave F.


Hi Dave can you explain "laser"


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2010 8:46 pm 
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Quote:
Hi Dave can you explain "laser"


Laser as in laser engraving machine. I have a 45W Epilog Laser 32EXT machine. It cuts wood nicely. I draw the shape I want using Corel Draw on the computer, then print it to the laser (which looks just like a printer to the computer). The laser cuts out the shape perfectly (to within about 0.0005"). I cut my sides about 1/8" oversize on the long edges (to minimize sanding) and about 1" oversize on the ends. HTH.

Cheers,
Dave F.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 15, 2010 12:01 pm 
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Beam me up Scotty...full ahead warp speed.....!!!
Nice going Dave...!

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