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Hi Everyone;

I'm new to this and am working on my second build. I haven't yet invested in a pipe or bending machine.

It's a OOO build with white plastic binding and b/w fiber (0.025") side purfling. It seems pretty fragile and easy to break.

I've been reading through the previous posts using the search function but all instructions seem to indicate a need for a pipe or bending machine to bend the side purfling. Is there a way for me to soften this up without it? Will it work if I soak it in hot water for 5 mins? 15 mins? an hour? Or will the dyes run and will it just fall apart?

A bending machine or pipe is in my future but am I not ready to make that purchase yet.

Thanks much.

I have seen a blow dryer being used to soften the purfling. It is not the most accurate method for bending as you cant guarantee the heat will distribute evenly. Though with some care I have seen it come out successfully.

You need a Bender....

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

I bent my first set of sides and purfling using a blow torch and a metal tube. I doubt that it will cost $20 and if you beg or borrow it will be a whole lot less than that.

Kettle?

BBQ Grill?
In a misguided attempt to multitask, I once bent bindings on the outer surface of a gas grill while cooking dinner. Bindings worked fine and it did an excellent job of ebonizing the steaks.

Build your own hot pipe with an electric charcoal starter in a pipe. It's cheap and works great. You could also try a clothes iron. I use it for flattening any jumps I get in my bindings before gluing then down. It does a pretty good job.

old style makers of ouds bent the ribs over a candle.
This technology could be advanced by putting the candle inside a tin can.

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We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at guitars.

curling iron should also work, I am sure you can get one a Goodwill for a couple of bucks or less.

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It's this new idea from recent decades that everyone gets a participation award. - MUX

I did this recently. It was a W/B/W binding, and it was terribly brittle. I soaked it in very hot water (too hot to touch) for about five minutes. It worked. I don't know how consistent the results would be, but it did at least work that one time.

I've also bent over the end of a clothes iron.

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David Morris

Hi Linus - Did you buy the sides pre-bent? I assume so since you don't have a bending apparatus yet. You don't need much to set one up and can get all the stuff at the hardware store. All you need is: 2-3" diameter threaded black pipe, 10-12" or so in length, a screw on cap, a blow torch, and a shop vise. Drill a few holes in the end of the screw cap to let some of the heat breathe out. Hold the pipe in the shop vise and stick the blow torch in the uncapped end. Get a 1" pipe/cap for tight bends, if applicable.

I used a curling iron to touch up Binding and Purfling. Worked really well. Bigger diameter is probably better.

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EddieLee

Steal your wife's steam iron, just don't get caught

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Michael F Smith
Goat Rock Ukulele
http://goatrockukulele.com

Clothes iron works well. And you can flatten it out if it rolls while bending. No starch please

Thanks guys!

I'm not worried about the plastic binding, just the fiber b/w 0.025" purfling.

I'll either make a pipe or get a curling iron from goodwill.

I was binding a small oval sideport (2 x 3 cms) with 2 x 0.040" BWB fibre purfling (StewMac) and just passed it carefully over a boiling kettle and shaped it with my fingers.
It flops about almost like string.
I just put it back through the steam if it tightened up.
I had no issues with separation at all.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

An old hair curling iron will make a decent heat source to bend the purfling, just clean it well before putting it back and your wife will never know.

Fred

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

When bending purfling I cap a length of pipe, put the purfling in, then pour hot water into the pipe.

The purfling can then be bent easily into whatever shape you want it. Let it dry and it will stay in that form.

To do this with a guitar shape, I draw the outline of the side on a board and then tack the purfling in place along the line, placing tacks on either side of the purfling.

Dave

Well, a bending pipe will be necessary at some point so I might as well jump in.

I bought a 10" section of 1.5" pipe. Is galvanized OK? It's what they had. I got a propane torch. And they had a perforated rectangular plate. Tin? Almuninim? I'm not sure. I made a couple slices and bent it up to make a cone shape that I could jam into it to mostly plug the end while letting it breath.

I'll be able to lock it horizontally in a vice. Will this be OK??

Nice.
One little mod and you have a usable bemding pipe.





I cut the little tabs with a hacksaw, bent them with pliers or vice grips, dirlled holes and voila.

Many sets have been bent on this set up and you are almost there.

Dave

How did you bend the sides on your first build? By the way I use an electric charcoal starter in a 2" steel pipe for my bending iron...Mike

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Guitars, guitars and more guitars.

I think galvanized can produce toxic fumes when heated... not positive though, and perhaps not unless you get it hotter than it should be for side bending, but do look into it.

As for clamping in a vise, it'll probably work. My pipe is 3" diameter steel, free from a muffler shop scrap bin. Mounted to a board with L brackets and bolts, and then I clamp or screw the board to whatever surface I want.