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I don't post much, but I need some advice. I have a well-built, successfully used Fox style bender. A long time ago I bought the OLF-SJ form (and mold, etc.) from John Hall with an intention of doing a cutaway once my regular side-bending skills were acceptable. I'm ready...and here is my problem:

I have a cutaway ram, but my stack (wood, blanket, spring steel slat) simply appears to thick to make the bend successfully, at least without cracking the wood. And because this particular bend is so difficult, I'm slow with it...and that slowness translates to scorching the wood long before I ever get around to coaxing the wood into the curve (which I don't think the steel will do).

Do any of you OLF-SJ builders have any advice for this bend? Thanks in advance for your time.

Bill

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Bill, does your Fox style bender use lamps or heating blankets? Heating blankets are the way to go.

Dave F.

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... ues+creek+
one of these vids will help as I show how to use the machine to make the cutaway. It isn't that difficult but if you have a light bulb bender, don't even try. You do need the blanket

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Sorry for my delay in response. Yes, I have the blankets, which I bought from you John (they're great by the way). As for the florentine cutaway, I think that's a bit over my head at this point, although maybe not.

Thanks for the video!!!

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Sorry John, I respect your experience & everything, but that's just not true! All of my guitars (all with venetian cutaways) have been done on a "light-bulb" Fox bender. Just takes longer.

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Dave
Milton, ON

You did not mention what species of woods you have been dealing with. That makes a differance in time and temp. but most of all don't be slow. Be deliberate but not agressive. the truth is on most woods I bend a full side including cutaway in less than 5 min. from the time the wood reaches temp. Some wood need to be thined to .08-.07 in the areas of tight cutaways Some bend like butter at .09 also I find it helpfull to keep the ram following the contour of the mold as you bend the cutaway rather than just ramming down the centerline of return bend. In other words follow the horn around with the caul. this gives better support to the wood . I added spring to my cutaway ram that attach to the tower portion of the machine. This keeps the cutaway ram caul pulled in agist the horn as it bends the cutaway.

Your fall out rate on light bulb benders is higher than with a blanket . My biggest concern with light bulb benders is safety. I know of 3 shops that were burnt to the ground and traced to this design. I cannot stress this point so please do not use one without a timer . I agree a light bulb may work but your fall out rate to cracking will be very high compared to blankets. Mike's advice is sound and is the way I use the ram.
Since I turned to the blanket my scrap rate is less than 2%. Never let these thing unattended , blanket or bulb.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

What I did for learning to bend cutaways is get some orphan sides and bend, I sanded to thickness and bent several cutaways before I risked a good set of wood. Needless to say the cutaway went well when I got to it, make sure there is still moisture in the cutaway area when you start to turn the ram. I will do a Bubinga cutaway next week, that should give me a little extra stress.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

I would love to see a tutorial on Florentine cutaway if anyone knows where I can find one.

sylvan wells had them . I think he now has them on passwords.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

rich, the lmi catalog (the one that is sold, not the order-from catalog) has a very detailed picture-rich tutorial on doing a flourentine. The person doing it is Ervin Somogoyi (sp?). This is what I used to learn and there is enough other good articles in the catalog to make it well worth the purchase price.

All: I'm happy to report that after taking all the excellent advice in this thread, I successfully bent my first cutaway yesterday. And for those of you who say, "it didn't happen without a pic", here it is.

Thanks greatly to all.

Bill

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Good job Bill.

When I bet mt 1st cutaway last year I was so nervous and every sound I heard I thought it was a disaster, I bent my 2nd cutaway from Brazilian Rosewood Saturday and was much more relaxed. It is good to get the 1st one completed. Now I need to face bending a waterfall bubinga cutaway next.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Thanks all for your response to the Florentine. WIll check out Sylvan and also the Lmi catalog for purchase. You guys is da best!!!!!