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Sorry to piggyback on your thread Joey, but Mike do the same rules/techniques apply for claro walnut also? I ask because I'm going to be bending some very figured stuff in a few days with a lightbulb bender.

I have a blues creek fox type bender and I am getting ready to bend it today. I guess I will go with medium heat.

I am having difficulty building my mold. What I need is a bobbin sander attachment that is 4" tall and I can't seem to find one. Any idea where I would look for a cylindrical piece of rubber about 2" x 4"?

fingerstyle1978 wrote:

Check out http://www.grizzly.com
They have some long sanders .
Mc

fingerstyle1978 wrote:

Sanding to profile after laminating the mold is way too much work and really requires something like a large oscillating spindle sander to do the job. Easier to just sand the first ply to exact shape, then as each rough-cut ply is glued and tacked on, use a pattern bit to rout to shape. Here's a tutorial on how to do a solid mold:

http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=14200&"

I should have asked a lot sooner!!! But thanks for that none the less. I will definitely build my next mold that way. In order to fix the one that I have now (which is not far off at all) I ordered a 4.5" drum for my drill press. I hope it works.

In the mean time today:
I got the sides bent

Started building a 5 piece neck. I've decided on Walnut and White Oak so far. I haven't figured out what to use for the last 2 pieces. And I am not sold on the oak (considering birch instead), but it is perfectly quartered and it's there. I have a solid 4"x3" mahogany chunk but my crappy 14" bandsaw won't cut it.

I'd like to use all American woods on this guitar but it's awful tough to use American wood for the fretboard. Right now I only have zirrcote and cocobolo. Neither really look right. Ebony would do nicely but I don't have any. I'm considering some curly rock maple, but I have no clue how that would look/sound either. Being my #1 build I am pretty open to experimentation, but I do want to build something that will last and look/sound good.

Cut some curly black walnut veneers from a slab that matches my B&S extremely well. A nice figured crotch slab has been sitting in my grandfathers shop for years and years.

Split some spruce for bracing. Does it have to be sitka, red or does it not really matter? I have neither, just plain spruce from the lumber yard. Most likely black, but it's anybody's guess. I was able to pick out a well quartered piece and it seems to be fine to me, but what do I know?

Started jointing the back with a shooting board and a block planer. I spent the past few days tuning the planes, but I became frustrated with the jointing as it was going on hour 14 in the shop. What did I learn? 30 year old straight edges are not truly straight. So i came home for beers and some rest and I will get back at it tomorrow.

Feel free to point out any horrible errors I am about to make. I would certainly appreciate it.

I have a solid 4"x3" mahogany chunk but my crappy 14" bandsaw won't cut it.

Author:	fingerstyle1978 [ Mon May 10, 2010 2:00 pm ]
Post subject:	Bending Black Walnut
Anyone have any suggestions for a temperature and thickness for a Black Walnut dread? thanks

Author:	Mike Collins [ Mon May 10, 2010 2:12 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
1/4 sawn i leave .085 thick(2.1+mm) Even figured walnut bends great. Just a lite sprits of water. I use a light bulb bender & get it so hot the water jumps off it. BUT once in the bender the walnut can burn so maybe 10 min MAX! I can smell the wood heating (yes) and hear the water I sprit on steam off. Leave in there to cool. It has a great perfume also! Mike

Author:	Corky Long [ Mon May 10, 2010 2:25 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
Don't have specific temp.s but walnut bends quite nicely and easily. I used plenty of water, but I bend on a pipe. And I like the smell, too, although some might categorize it as a little bit "barnyard"

Author:	Gtrman13 [ Mon May 10, 2010 2:34 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
Sorry to piggyback on your thread Joey, but Mike do the same rules/techniques apply for claro walnut also? I ask because I'm going to be bending some very figured stuff in a few days with a lightbulb bender.

Author:	fingerstyle1978 [ Mon May 10, 2010 4:54 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
I have a blues creek fox type bender and I am getting ready to bend it today. I guess I will go with medium heat. I am having difficulty building my mold. What I need is a bobbin sander attachment that is 4" tall and I can't seem to find one. Any idea where I would look for a cylindrical piece of rubber about 2" x 4"?

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Bending Black Walnut http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=27328	Page 1 of 1

Author:	Mike Collins [ Mon May 10, 2010 5:13 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
Gtrman13 wrote: Sorry to piggyback on your thread Joey, but Mike do the same rules/techniques apply for claro walnut also? I ask because I'm going to be bending some very figured stuff in a few days with a lightbulb bender. Yes! Go slow until you get a feel for the resistance of the wood as it bends. Mc

Author:	Mike Collins [ Mon May 10, 2010 5:14 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
fingerstyle1978 wrote: I have a blues creek fox type bender and I am getting ready to bend it today. I guess I will go with medium heat. I am having difficulty building my mold. What I need is a bobbin sander attachment that is 4" tall and I can't seem to find one. Any idea where I would look for a cylindrical piece of rubber about 2" x 4"? Check out www.grizzly.com They have some long sanders . Mc

Author:	cwood8656 [ Mon May 10, 2010 8:06 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
The black walnut I built with recently was a piece of cake to bend and work with. I bent it in my bender from John Hall @ Blues Creek, a little water on the sides, start bending at 220, finish at around 350, turn the bender down to 210 or so for the rest of the 15 minute cycle. Let the sides cool completely in the bender before removing. Chris.

Author:	fingerstyle1978 [ Mon May 10, 2010 8:20 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
Mike Collins wrote: fingerstyle1978 wrote: I have a blues creek fox type bender and I am getting ready to bend it today. I guess I will go with medium heat. I am having difficulty building my mold. What I need is a bobbin sander attachment that is 4" tall and I can't seem to find one. Any idea where I would look for a cylindrical piece of rubber about 2" x 4"? Check out http://www.grizzly.com They have some long sanders . Mc thanks, I just ordered some. I just wish they had rush delivery.

Author:	Robbie_McD [ Mon May 10, 2010 11:11 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
+1 what Chris said

Author:	bluescreek [ Tue May 11, 2010 5:49 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
Walnut is an easy bend . temp 250 to 325 is good . Cwood's method will do fine

Author:	Cocephus [ Tue May 11, 2010 7:47 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
Joey, Ya really can`t go wrong with black walnut. Bends like butter, and looks good in the end. IIRC, I think it was Mike Collins that influenced me to an educated guess at .085 thickness on my first try with a light bulb bender. I was and still am happy with the results. Coe Franklin

Author:	fingerstyle1978 [ Tue May 11, 2010 10:32 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
Todd Stock wrote: fingerstyle1978 wrote: I have a blues creek fox type bender and I am getting ready to bend it today. I guess I will go with medium heat. I am having difficulty building my mold. What I need is a bobbin sander attachment that is 4" tall and I can't seem to find one. Any idea where I would look for a cylindrical piece of rubber about 2" x 4"? Sanding to profile after laminating the mold is way too much work and really requires something like a large oscillating spindle sander to do the job. Easier to just sand the first ply to exact shape, then as each rough-cut ply is glued and tacked on, use a pattern bit to rout to shape. Here's a tutorial on how to do a solid mold: http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=14200&" I should have asked a lot sooner!!! But thanks for that none the less. I will definitely build my next mold that way. In order to fix the one that I have now (which is not far off at all) I ordered a 4.5" drum for my drill press. I hope it works. In the mean time today: I got the sides bent Started building a 5 piece neck. I've decided on Walnut and White Oak so far. I haven't figured out what to use for the last 2 pieces. And I am not sold on the oak (considering birch instead), but it is perfectly quartered and it's there. I have a solid 4"x3" mahogany chunk but my crappy 14" bandsaw won't cut it. I'd like to use all American woods on this guitar but it's awful tough to use American wood for the fretboard. Right now I only have zirrcote and cocobolo. Neither really look right. Ebony would do nicely but I don't have any. I'm considering some curly rock maple, but I have no clue how that would look/sound either. Being my #1 build I am pretty open to experimentation, but I do want to build something that will last and look/sound good. Cut some curly black walnut veneers from a slab that matches my B&S extremely well. A nice figured crotch slab has been sitting in my grandfathers shop for years and years. Split some spruce for bracing. Does it have to be sitka, red or does it not really matter? I have neither, just plain spruce from the lumber yard. Most likely black, but it's anybody's guess. I was able to pick out a well quartered piece and it seems to be fine to me, but what do I know? Started jointing the back with a shooting board and a block planer. I spent the past few days tuning the planes, but I became frustrated with the jointing as it was going on hour 14 in the shop. What did I learn? 30 year old straight edges are not truly straight. So i came home for beers and some rest and I will get back at it tomorrow. Feel free to point out any horrible errors I am about to make. I would certainly appreciate it.

Author:	Phillip Patton [ Wed May 12, 2010 7:57 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
fingerstyle1978 wrote: I should have asked a lot sooner!!! But thanks for that none the less. I will definitely build my next mold that way. In order to fix the one that I have now (which is not far off at all) I ordered a 4.5" drum for my drill press. I hope it works. In the mean time today: I got the sides bent Started building a 5 piece neck. I've decided on Walnut and White Oak so far. I haven't figured out what to use for the last 2 pieces. And I am not sold on the oak (considering birch instead), but it is perfectly quartered and it's there. I have a solid 4"x3" mahogany chunk but my crappy 14" bandsaw won't cut it. I'd like to use all American woods on this guitar but it's awful tough to use American wood for the fretboard. Right now I only have zirrcote and cocobolo. Neither really look right. Ebony would do nicely but I don't have any. I'm considering some curly rock maple, but I have no clue how that would look/sound either. Being my #1 build I am pretty open to experimentation, but I do want to build something that will last and look/sound good. Cut some curly black walnut veneers from a slab that matches my B&S extremely well. A nice figured crotch slab has been sitting in my grandfathers shop for years and years. Split some spruce for bracing. Does it have to be sitka, red or does it not really matter? I have neither, just plain spruce from the lumber yard. Most likely black, but it's anybody's guess. I was able to pick out a well quartered piece and it seems to be fine to me, but what do I know? Started jointing the back with a shooting board and a block planer. I spent the past few days tuning the planes, but I became frustrated with the jointing as it was going on hour 14 in the shop. What did I learn? 30 year old straight edges are not truly straight. So i came home for beers and some rest and I will get back at it tomorrow. Feel free to point out any horrible errors I am about to make. I would certainly appreciate it. You could use osage orange for the fret board, although Arizona desert ironwood would look better, if you can find it in big enough pieces.

Author:	JohnAbercrombie [ Wed May 12, 2010 12:23 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Bending Black Walnut
fingerstyle1978 wrote: I have a solid 4"x3" mahogany chunk but my crappy 14" bandsaw won't cut it. Can't help with most of the items on your list, but.... My guess is that a new 1/4-4tpi blade for your saw would solve that problem. Mahogany cuts easily. I cut lots of much heavier stock (10" thick ash laminations, 4" solid lead, etc) with a homebuilt plywood-frame bandsaw for years, and my Chinese 14" saw is a step up from that... I'd consider using ebony or Indian rosewood for the fingerboard, but both violate the 'domestic only' rule. IRW fingerboards are only a few dollars. Maple (and other light-colored) fingerboards are a pain to keep looking non-grungy, if that's important to you. Cheers John

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