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I've read of difficulties bending Padauk. Anyone with first hand experience, please give me the do's and don'ts as I have no spare sides and the ones I have were cut from the same board as the back. I'll be using a John Hall bender with heating blanket between two slats. Should I bend wet, moist (spritzed), or dry? What should be the temp before cranking down on the waist? How long and at what temp should I cook to minimize springback?? Any other advice appreciated. Oh yeah....anyone know if scorch marks come out easily? I'll be making a SJ with sides down to .085 - .090.
Thanks,

Tom Armstrong

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(alias: gasawdust)

this is a difficult wood to bend. I would suggest wet paper on top and below the set . .090 thick and let the heat get to 375 before bending. Keep the paper wet and take your time. Let the hold down do the work. I would think that you should be finished in a few minutes once the heat is attained.
I would also take the waist to friendly friction , then once you get heat take it 1/3 of the way and do the lower bout take another 3rd on the waist then the upper bout , again check that the paper is wet , then set the waist . Once you are on the patten hold the temp for a few minutes and hold the temp at 250 for 15 minutes to dry out the water. Let cool before taking out of the bender.
Good luck this stuff needs heat. I don't use supersoft but it may not hurt

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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

Tom: Have only built two Padauk guitars. Broke one side in the process which was due to a knot. Worthwhile to check your sides thoroughly for any possible flaws. I don't measure temperature but judge when to start bending by the wood flexibility. This wood has to want to bend,what I mean is that you can't force it or bend before it is ready like you can with other easier to bend woods.John Hall has given you good advice. Padauk makes an excellant guitar and is very underrated as a tonewood.It's down fall is a bit harder to bend and the mess it makes on sanding. Good luck.
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

hi Tom,
I bent only one set and make only one guitar with Paduk. (Nice looking and nice smelling)
As you can see I bent over pipe and how I remember it was difficult and waist is
Critical moment, I spray the side and wait couple minute so the wood can soak water
How I remember temperature was higher than I use bending IR.
I think the advice you get from bluescreek is ok follow them and it will be ok

best
Fric

Thanks to all. Didn't think of Supersoft but I'll dig it out of the cabinet (I know it's in there somewhere) and let you know of my results as I progress. Just finishing up an all Claro SJ at the moment and just about ready to bend for an EIR OM. Only other wood that has stumped me out of 20 or so builds was a piece of very curly Jarrah....ugh. Now that stuff is on my do-over list when I can find some orphan sides.

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(alias: gasawdust)

One of my students and I just bent a set .. luckily, it was resawn from a board I had, as one side fractured to the point where we didnt want to go forward with it - so we took another slice !!! .. 80 thou, high heat, wet, and wrapped in foil ... fully bent in about 5 minutes

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