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I'm getting ready to bend my first set of quilted maple and am looking for any tips. It's a great set I received from Bob C. almost 2 years ago which has been aging in my shop ever since. I really don't want to crack it because it's the only set I have, and I'm sure I won't be able to find sides to match the back if I crack one. I have a side bender from Blues Creek which is what I will use. What should I do regarding: thickness of quilted maple to bend (for classical guitar), wet or spritz the wood, wrap the wood before bending, anything else? What do you recommend for maple?

Thanks!

John

I am assuming you are using a blanket as your heat source. Once the wood reaches 260f-270f start the waist bend. bend 70% of the waist. By now you should be nearing 280f-290f. Bend the lower bout complete. Bend the upper bout complete. Finish the waist bend. This will pull the upper and lower bout bends in to the waist and make the fit good and tight. control your heat not to exceed 300f. The Maple will scorch very quickly over 300f. Reduce heat to 230f-240f allow to cook for 8-10 min. Turn off heat and allow to cool in the bender over night. Keep you nose to the wind during the heating and bending. If you start to smell the wood you are starting to scorch.

John what Michael said...and...

Quilted maple bends like a dream as it is flatsawn. Thickness 0.085 - 0.09"
Spritz and wrap in aluminum foil

In addition to what Michael said for added insurance clamp your sides into your mold as quilted maple has a tendency to cup on you (based on my experience).

Maple eh. Just drape the sides over the form and sit it out in the sun.

Be aware that sometimes quiled and curly wood will fasit or seperate in tight bends like the waist and upper bout this is because of the sudden change in the grain orientation. wood wants to bend easy with the grain. as the quilt patterns grain starts runing perpendicular to the bend it may want to seperate. If this happens don't panic you can glue and clamp this seperation back down. I know some use a softener to prevent this.

Good point MichaelP

I have never bent Maple, but quilted and curly wood can create some problems if not careful as stated above.

I use a light bulb system, hoping to replace with one of Johns and his blanket soon. If you are using a bulb system then what I have found works is after I have spritzed and wrapped in foil, sandwiched and placed in the unit, I use my hand held heat gun and direct apply especially on the three critical bending areas, waist, Upper and Lower bout at the extreme of the curve. I can move my temp guage to these areas and this allows me to get to the optimum temp quicker and more evenly spread on the area of the bend.

My 2 cents when working with homemade less than stellar equipment

Mike
White Oak, Texas

It all sounds like good advice to me. If you use water just use a little, too much and you may get cupping. And use distilled. It won't leave hard water stains in the light wood. It should bend fine. Then some figured wood has a mind of it's own, but with a bender it should submit to your will. Just remember, deep down most good wood secretly wants to be a guitar.... Joe Beaver38862.9807291667

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust