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I read lots of stuff here on bending with blankets I even borrowed one and a fox bender from a friend, but everything was just to large to bend uke sides I managed the waist I might make templates and bend my next guitar sides while I have it. Currently I'm making 2 ukes on for myself and my little nephew and one's oak the other mahogany the oak wanted to be dripping wet to bend nicely and the honduran mahogany wanted to be dry, my first guitar was sapele that wanted to be wet and rosewood seemed to bend best damped. My question is, Is there a list anywhere about what woods like what water ? If there is I can't find it

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

On re reading at the end that really should of read What amount of water different woods like.

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

In my experience, which is not much, most woods like very little to no water. A little spritz on the inside of the bend is not bad, but dry works most of the time.

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Waddy

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Yeah Waddy that seemed to be the case with mahoganies the water just seemed like an anti-scorch device, rosewoods nearly the same little more water than mahoganies the same with my wenge bindings I bent, but the oak seemed to need steam and lots of it to bend now got a problem clamped it to its form and my chrome plated g-cramps left a purple stain looks like it'll sand out though fingers crosed (now wheres an emoticon for that?)

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

how about koa?? I got some real bad scorching on a piece I tried this weekend. Couldn't even get the waist bent. Tried wetter, drier.....

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Rob

I bent sides for 5 Koa Tenor ukes recently. The tight bends at the waist were the hardest. I use an Ibex hot pipe in the horizontal position. I place a folded paper towel over the pipe and spray it with water and keep the heat pretty high. The added steaming worked for me. Just keep spraying the paper towel. That way you don't have to soak the wood. The paper towel starts to blacken after awhile so I just change it after each side was bent.
Michael

Hey John

That's an interesting question about how to bend different types of woods. I think you'll find everyone here does it differently.

I wonder if we could set up a forum poll topic like this. List some different types of wood and we could all vote on bending parameters.....how hot, how wet, how thin, how easy, minimum radius etc.
Maybe it would show a concensus about what methods work for most people.

Only advice I can give in this thread is the following : I am gonna let you in on a lil secret here ! DO NOT touch the pipe with your bare hand !! It will Burn The He....... outa ya ! shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh dont tell anyone shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

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I do all my bending of the pipe/propane torch, and like Michael I cover it with a folded paper towel and keep spraying it. Steams the wood nicely and keeps the scorching off the wood. It's hell on paper towels though!

Joe

All right, wet towels it is. Time to go fire up the pipe. I'll let you know how I make out. Thanks for the tips.

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Rob

Success!!! Thanks for the tip on the wet towels guys, worked great. I bent the other side with no problems at all. and no scorching. When I went back to the problem side, I had a heck of a time getting the waist to bend, just like the first time I tried. Must just be a stiff spot, or something funny there because the upper and lower bouts went fine. This ones gonna' be a Bari Uke, so pretty tight bends.

I'm really enjoying bending on the pipe. I've got a blanket set up, but couldn't be bothered making new forms for the last 2 I've done, so I threw together a pipe with a propane torch, and bending might be close to my favorite thing to do now.

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Rob

Glad that worked for you Rob! The bends on a uke can get pretty tight esp. if you like nice curvy shapes. On that first side, I've heard that sides can get hardened from being too hot, too long, so that may be what's going on there.

But yeah, learning that wet paper towel trick turned hot pipe bending into a pleasure for me as well. Before it was always something of a panic, trying to get it hot enough to bend, before scorching it all to heck.

Joe

Thanks Joe. I've heard about hardening too, but it didn't want to bend when I first put it on the pipe. I put it down for a bit, as I was getting discoloration, but managed to get it done with the towel trick. Thanks.

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Rob

I'm building a couple of soprano ukes at the moment also, and ran into trouble bending the sides. I have a fox bender, but do not own or have access to a hot pipe. Since these projects are just for fun with spare time and scrap wood, I got a little creative. I simply wrapped the side in wax paper and foil, threw it in my kitchen oven at 300 for 8 minutes, then pulled it out and clamped it to a mold. I've only done that one side, and I haven't taken it out of the mold yet, but I hear no cracking at least when bending it. Hopefully it won't be scorched or have any other problems. Anyway, just thought I'd share, good luck in your bending ventures!