20111215_144849

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Comment by Sean Noctor on December 17, 2011 at 12:11

Sorry Peter, the wire looked like a gas bottle tube to me, having looked closer now (and got my glasses on) I can see what you mean and yes it does look a good system, had I known before I would have tried my hand at it, probably will when I get some time in my garage. I tend to forget what the builders of yesteryear had to work with and here am i trying to re-create that something, modern man, slow brain, bad combo  

Comment by Peter Forrester on December 17, 2011 at 10:07

I think the photo is self-explanatory but. Standard-size soldering iron (with its bit removed?); scrap copper tube - a refinement could be different diameters?  I usually never clamped  it to the bandsaw when bending anything larger than ornament.  On soldering irons: I use a smaller electrician's iron a lot for re-melting animal glue when glueing down bars, etc.  I believe that it is now possible to buy a specially made version for the same purpose, though probably at a great price!  Thomas Mace repairing his lute in 1676 presumably just used the fireplace to heat his irons.

Comment by Sean Noctor on December 16, 2011 at 22:48

Hi Peter, this looks near to what I had in mind for my tryout, I have limited space so didn't really want anything with a flame, one of the reasons I've shelved my project until it's sorted, I've seen some pretty fancy and pretty dangerous ideas by amatuer builders, all very effective but not suitable or just too long winded (bit like my post)   Do you still bend by hand or have you made a Fox type devise

Comment by Peter Forrester on December 16, 2011 at 22:06

I think this is far superior to my own original method which I intended to post some time ago.  But I did use my own for several years into a professional career - Akira's guitar was built using it - and the photo shows it still being used for a boxwood edging to surround a rose-hole where my superior commercial iron would be unsuitable.  

Comment by Sean Noctor on December 16, 2011 at 18:51

Very nice Dan, it sorts the problem of wood bending really well for the rest of us dabbling builders, sturdy, neat and tidy, safe and of course an easy concept to understand, ticks all the boxes for me, thankyou for posting the photo's and the supporting info, I was leaning towards the gas bottle and pipe but this is far better.