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I am having difficulties with rippling while bending ribbon figured mahogany. I was able to get 8 b&s sets from a nicely quartered piece. I am down to 6 now, hope to get something out of this wood. My rippling is around .040" on sides that are .090" thick. I bent it like I have before with plain mahogany, 280 degrees and light spritz of water. The sides look like what I found in the archives in this thread viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=5828&hilit=bending+ribbon+mahogany. It stated bending at 300 degrees, just wondering if it worked? I thought I'd check before wasting anymore sides.

Thanks, Chuck

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What's the question?
.090" is pretty thick for sides.

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https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008907949110

The question is, did increasing the bending temp to 300 degrees eliminate the rippling?

Dave, what thickness do you recommend?

Chuck

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Thanks Filippo, I'll try .080 and veneer softner, and 300 degrees. I've had other mahogany that bent easily (with some spring back), but this stuff is a totally different animal trying to control the ripples that follow the ribbon figure.

Chuck

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I bent some African Mahogany not too long ago.
It had ribbon grain,
sized to .095".
Hardest wood I've bent yet.
Just wanted to spring back.
I use .095" because it's for weiss jobs, and I think the sides need the thickness for strength.
I just kept at it.

You need the bender of death! And I'm no expert, but have you considered bending dry?

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Alain, I did bend one side dry, no difference, ripples along ribbon figure.

Chuck

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Have you ever consired laminated sides for your weiss's?
I just did on my 2nd guitar, and really, it's easier that it seems.
Instead of bending a .090'' Koa side, I bent a .070 Koa side and a .040 Spanish side.
Then I get a .110 side, at the perfect shape, absolutely no spring back, no warp, no flat-spot. And don't need side braces.

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

Thanks for that idea Francis.
Maybe I'll give that a go.

It also gives more stabilty to the structure without adding much weight. That results in less energy loss, then in considerable gain in volume and projection.

Let us know if you try it!

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars