Official Luthiers Forum!

Anyone out there using aluminum flashing for side bending with a heating blanket?
Pros, cons and opinions would be appreciated! Thanks!

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

I use a heavier stainless steel slat on the bottom to help provide some support and use aluminum on the top side to give the blanket some protection. I like the aluminum because it rolls up and stores away easily. It was also a lot cheaper than the alternatives. You have to flatten it out a little after a bend, but not a big deal.

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Kyle

I use aluminum. Pros are, easy to find and cut your own, and does not rust. Cons are, they do not flatten back out like spring steel slats and stains easily.

Chuck

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Alex: Absolutely, the only thing I've ever used.
Tom

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

Thats good to know, Tom. You can get a lot of slats from a $25/50ft roll!

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

I am a little worried about gassing out of hot aluminum. I'm not sure why. Anybody else?

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Pat

They make camp stoves and cookware out of aluminum. I’d not be worried about the temperatures we are using.

Of course I have no actual scientific research to back that assumption up.

I've used flashing and it has worked. I wonder if I'm getting as much support with it as I would with a steel slat though.

I've always used blue tempered shim stock covered with foil. I don't like slats that deform and have to be straightened.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Pat: I think the temps are much too low to worry about that. Zinc and galvanized metal can be a problem when welding but have never heard anything about aluminum.
Tom

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

I use scraps of HPL for bending slats. After awhile they take a set, but being scraps they cost nothing and can be replaced.
Aluminum shouldn't pose a health risk at the temperatures wood bends at. Aluminum soda and beer cans would probably be more of a health risk, but again I think it's pretty small.