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I've seen photos of some side benders that have what looks to be a sheet metal arch on the waist caul. I'm assuming that it auto adjusts to whatever waist shape your bending form has. Who sells these? Or who designed it? Any info around on it - plans, photos, etc?

Mine is like that. Got it from John Hall at Blues Creek. Love it.

Mike

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Mike Lindstrom

Anyone got a photo of the sheetmetal waist caul from the side view?

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

See if this helps.

God Bless.

Kevin

Thanks, Kevin. The solid piece inside the metal does the trick.
I was playing with some aluminum flashing for the metal tube, but even with three layers of aluminum, it was still too soft to compress my spring steel slats into the waist curve. I might have to buy another slat and sacrifice it.


I was about to experiment with a solid piece inside.



Your plan confirms my thinking. And the round form should help from crimping the side wood with a sharp edge. I'll change to a larger round shape inside.
Nice work on the plans. Thanks, again.
Dan

Thanks for the pdf file Kevin, that is what I thought everyone was doing, mine is quite different and has to be adjusted for each different bending form waist shape. I might make up one with the sheet steel and dowel before my next bending session. Will this style also work in a cutaway press

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Not sheet metal...but I use 1/4" Aluminum, stacked, with a full radius on the contact edge of each piece, about 7 of em. I inserted them into a shoe and then bolted them together when I had them where I wanted. Haven't moved them since.

I have also gun drilled Aluminum billets that were 8" long for a heating element to be inserted and then used as a waist form to bend sides in a bender similar to a Fox style.

Don't think unbacked sheet metal is going to be able to hold your shape when you will need it most. Just my .02

Tim

Yes.

I've got the Blues Creek bender and took the wooden rod out. The SS cap is very stiff but conforms to the waist on different models under pressure. Works great.
Dom

That's what I use also but my plates are made from 1/4" masonite. Works great but needs to be adjusted for each waist and cutaway shape.

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

From the title I thought you were going to use Metal caul to make a Metal guitar...

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

Interesting concept!
Looks like a short heat blanket could be placed inside to get heat inside the bend.