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 Post subject: Home built bending tool
PostPosted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:48 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo
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Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2010 8:31 pm
Posts: 103
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
First name: Kenneth
Last Name: Jeffs
City: Chesterfield
State: MO
Zip/Postal Code: 63017
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
A picture of my home built Bending Tool. Is was very cost effective and only required the purchase of the pipe and a 200 W light bulb. The wiring, rheostat, fixture base, and wood may already be in the shop. It also required some heat insulation used by plumbers and a few small aluminum elbows to secure the pipe. I also put a small grill thermometer to help regulate temperature. I used MDF originally as the base for the pipe but will rebuild that in the future using something different. The housing for the rheostat and fixture base is just scrap 3/4 plywood.

Now if I just get better at bending sides and binding, I am set.

I have not burnt the house down yet but with any heat based bending too, you have to be very very careful. I feel confident with it, but never leave it alone when heating up. I have added additional insulating material to keep the base from getting too hot.


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 1:05 pm 
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Koa
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Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:42 am
Posts: 1135
Location: Hudson, MA
First name: Kevin
Last Name: Quine
City: Hudson
State: MA
Country: Usa
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Looks more sophisticated than mine. I just use a 1-1/4" NPT pipe mounted on a board and a heat gun
There's a hole in the board behind the flange to let the hot air out. Running the heat gun on low with the hole wide open keeps the temp just right for bending. The noise from the heat gun isn't all that annoying on low.
I got the 1-1/4" dia pipe for bending uke sides....but it works fine for me on guitars too. I don't bother with my larger dia pipe anymore.


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PostPosted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 7:00 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo
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Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2010 8:31 pm
Posts: 103
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
First name: Kenneth
Last Name: Jeffs
City: Chesterfield
State: MO
Zip/Postal Code: 63017
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Kevin,

Any idea how hot you get that pipe?


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PostPosted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:10 pm 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:42 am
Posts: 1135
Location: Hudson, MA
First name: Kevin
Last Name: Quine
City: Hudson
State: MA
Country: Usa
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I never measured it. I'd guess around 350F based on how the water steams off


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