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If I want to bend some BIG acoustic bass guitar sides (7+" wide - in the style of an Ernie Ball Earthwood Bass) can I get by with wide steel slats but a regular 5" wide blanket? The form will be the same size as the sides.

In other words, do I have to by a wider blanket to do the bend?

I've bent such sides and simply used a bending iron. Not hard to use and once you get the hang of it, one can easily bend a side in about 10-15 minutes. For a while I thought about getting set up with a bending machine but I have now shelved the idea as bending by hand is one of the more enjoyable steps to building for me. I do use a spring steel backing strip for more difficult species and spray everything with SuperSoft2 prior to bending. I spray again afterwards, clamp into the outside mold and leave overnight for near perfect results.


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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

Aren't most blankets 6" wide? Even at 6", I can't see it working well with 1/2" of wood on either side going unheated. I would think it would not get hot enough to go plastic thus cracking when you tried to bend. This is all speculation on my part though. I'd do it on a hot pipe. Then if I felt like I needed to eve out some of the bends I would cook it in the bender hoping that the edges being close to the final bend would get me where I wanted to be. You could also bend the waist on the pipe and clamp it in the bender while still hot. Allow it to cool and then do the same for the lower bout followed by the upper. . .

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Get a pipe.