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I have wanted to use some herringbone purfling on a build for sometime. I would like to know how you go about bending it? .140 wide stuff.
I have the fox style bender and a heat blanket....hot pipe...etc.
What is the trick to it?

Thanks,
Jeff

Make a taped-up bundle (tape every 6" using blue painters tape) with all the purfling pieces you need to bend together with some supporting scrap pieces of suitably sized wood.. Then bend the bundle of pieces in your Fox style bender using the bending blanket. Go slow - if you don't, you may get some separation and/or failure of the herringbone purfling at the waist. Piece of cake.

Cheers,
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"

Thank you sir!
Thats kinda what I was thinking but wasn't really sure!

Thanks again!!

What Jeff said...works like a charm.

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

My trick is Stew-Mac Bent Herringbone Purfling,

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bindings,_t ... fling.html

Works every time.

Gregg

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Gregg

I was able to carefully bend it with my fingers running them up and down the lenth of the bend. Patience is a must though. I did break one at the waist, but I also had alot of delamination on the pipe. YMMV....

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Rob

I soak it in water for a minute or so (at least the Stew Mac stuff) and then install it without bending. Works fine for me.

I made a half template of the body shape out of a 3/4" piece of plywood, routed a channel the width of the purfling and twice as deep. I then soak the purfling in warm water for 10 minutes, take it out and bend both pieces at once around the mold and secure with tape. I generally do this a day ahead of time. Very quick, very simple.

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Jimmy Caldwell
http://www.caldwellguitars.com

Thank all the rest off ya'll for the other tips!...coool!

Jeff

I bend it right into the purfling rabbet using a clothes iron. I tape the butt-joint together at the tail and just work it around the body applying the hot iron to bend it. No steam on the iron. Only apply the iron for a couple seconds in the area you're bending...it doesn't take much to get it to bend. Too much heat can cause it to delaminate Tape in place as you go.

I also use the stew-mac purfling and I just bend it using the airfoil shaped bender from stew-mac, and a spritz of water. I don't bother to bend it to the exact shape, there is a fair amount of flexibility that once you get a nice curve going it won't break. I have had the edge strip de-laminate from the herringbone in parts of the bend sometimes, but I just ignore that - it glues up just fine anyway. I bend the wooden binding of all types the same way. Spray it with a little water to keep the scorching to a minimum, once you break a piece or two you will get the hang of how much pressure to use, and most of the time you can CA glue the broken binding and use it.

I pre-bend both sides of the guitar binding and purfling, and then go back and glue in the first set I bent, that lets it dry out from the spray before gluing and taping.

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Damon Wack
https://www.facebook.com/LindamonGuitars