Yes, I felt pretty good being finally able to bend my first side. I also really enjoyed the process of laying out and constructing the bender.
Thanks for the spring sizes, John...I probably should have ordered those with the heat blanket
As to my procedure:
- Wet the sides a little (went with my guts as to the amount of water), wrap them in parchment paper, make the steel slat-wood-blanket-steel slat sandwich
- Heat the blanket up to about 220, then I started to tighten the waist a tiny bit (but nowhere near 1/2" from the form)
- set the lower bout, cursing after realizing the springs were to weak
- set the upper bout, even more cursing because those springs were even weaker
- set the waist (temperature now up to around 260)
- lowering the temperature control
- frantically searching and cutting some wire
- reinforce the springs with the wire using one hand, while pressing the caul to the form with the other hand, while monitoring the temperature and taking care not to burn my self
- realizing that the lower bout lifts...pressing down manually with a rag
- cranking up the heat and cook the whole thing a little at close to 300
- let it cool down and open a beer
I hope No 2 goes smoother...at least it didn't crack...
Christian