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I just ruined two bubinga sides. Now having read various threads on the subject I wonder it my bending iron was too hot. I don't have a thermometer to check it but I had the dial all the way hot?
What is the best temp for bending?
Btw the piece I used to practice on came out perfect. (figures)

You don't mention how they were ruined. Were they scorched? I use a towel draped over my iron that I spritz with a spray bottle. No scorching yet. I've typically kept it set at about 4 of 5, although I don't know what temp that corresponds to.

I would think your pipe should be around 300-320 degrees .. but bubinga is tough to bend at the best of times, epsecially if its figured. Thickness should be 80-85 thou at most as well.

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

I use mine at about 400 degrees and keep the wood damp . I also use a slat on the heat iron so that it gets pressed more than bent . Also how thick was the sides ? I use it .085 to .095

_________________
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

The cracked. There was no scorching. The sides were .080.

It wasn't hot enough, or you were trying to bend too quickly.....with too much pressure. With the right temperature and technique most woods bend without much pressure.

Double disclaimer:
1. I've heard that some Bubinga is really tough to bend. I've never worked with it.
2. I usually bend my sides with a fox style bender, but I bend my florentines by hand on an Ibex iron. It takes the bending iron a long time to get hot enough.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

Ok, sort of off topic, but related...has anyone ever used an infrared laser thermometer gun to check the temp of your heat pipe? You just point and shoot and it gives you the temp. no more guessing the temp.

http://www.amazon.com/Kintrex-IRT0421-N ... B0017L9Q9C

As has been said, if there was any figure in the Bubinga, it will crack if not bent very carefully. Slow, steady and hot. You really have to wait for the wood to relax. That's the key with a pipe. You can't hurry it up. A moist towel on the pipe is helpful, particularly at the waist.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Overkill, I think. If drops of water dance off of the pipe then it's hot enough. I just turn my Ibex bending iron to full hot and start bending when the water droplets will dance off of the pipe. Maybe my technique is too simplistic but it works for me.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

My infrared laser thermometer won't read my bending iron. It will read pretty much any surface, even the temp of a light bulb, but only reads room temperature when pointed at my bending iron.

_________________
I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

My latest was bubinga and it bent fine. Perhaps ignorance was in my case.

_________________
"Preoccupation with an effect gives it power and enhances the error"
from "Your Owner's Manual" by Burt Hotchkiss.

I don't think I did, but perhaps I did rush it. Probably too much pressure too. I'm sure it was hot enough the water pretty much vaporized when I sprayed it on the iron.
I'm sure it was hotter than the 300-400 degree range suggested by Tony and John.
I will try the moist towel.
It was figured I will try straighter grain for the next attempt.
Thanks for the input.

I have one that I picked up from HF on sale for $19 (shocking... a sale at HF) just to see how it would work. After a bit of playing around with it I found that it does not like to take the temp of reflective metal. So I can not read my bending iron (I cover my iron with Aluminum foil for each use to keep the resins off the lighter woods) or my SS slats that I use on my Fox style side bender. Makes it pretty much useless for guitar building but still comes in handy when I want to see how hot my Kerosene heater is making the tire on my wife's car.... hasn't gotten over 110 so far.

I use a magnetic stove thermometer (I see Stew Mac sells the same one but for quite a bit more than I paid). When the pipe gets between 350 and 400, it's time to bend.