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 Post subject: Fox Side Bender Query
PostPosted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 5:42 am 
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Koa
Koa

Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 5:57 pm
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Location: Nr London, UK
I'm in the process of gathering all I need to make a fox style side bender and was wondering if 18mm (3/4") MDF would be suitable as I have 1/2 a sheet of moisture resistant rather than shelling out for 3/4" Ply.

Thanks

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:38 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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I built mine entirely out of plywood. But later, for some reason I cannot remember, I replaced the sides with MDF.


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 9:45 am 
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Koa
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If you’re using light bulbs line the insides with foil, with a blanket mdf works fine.


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 10:17 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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I would not build it entirely out of MDF. Just the big sides. Cauls can be MDF (mine are).


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 1:57 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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MDF is really heavy and the edges split easily. I would go with plywood.


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 2:23 pm 
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Koa
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Last year I built a Fox-style bender from Georgia Luthier Supply drawings, which worked out nicely. So much of the assembly is done near the edges. You'll have the tool a long time. I encourage plywood. I think plywood is an order of magnitude sturdier and longer-lived than any kind of compressed wood stuff.

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PostPosted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 2:53 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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MDF is actually more stable than plywood and makes good jigs that need that kind of stability. But for the bender and body forms, I prefer plywood.

If you want to make MDF less splity along the edges, go over them several times with CA.


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 9:41 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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I agree. The only part of the bender I’d make out of MDF is the big sides. Mine has a plywood base etc, but my big sides are MDF. Works fine. Bent many many sets with it. But you don’t want to construct parts that require fasteners that go into the ends of MDF as it will split and not stay strong. That said, you could make base out of layers of MDF, but it’s gonna get heavy.


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PostPosted: Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:35 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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there are different plywoods Baltic birch is the more stable product and much more durable than mdf

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