Bending Jarrah Bindings

Kim Strode · Post by **Kim Strode** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:14 pm

I've been working on a Classical Guitar and wanted to use Jarrah bindings. The bindings were soaked in hot water for 1.5 hours (as per the Sloane method) but cracked while applying pressure in a Fox Style bender, heated with light globes. The Jarrah had a good straight grain.

Has anyone had success bending Jarrah bindings and what suggestions can be offered to bend Jarrah successfully.

Thanks, Kim

Bob Connor · Post by **Bob Connor** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:28 pm

Hi Kim

These are Curly Jarrah bindings we bent about a month ago.

They were .070" thick and we ran them under a tap and bent them on a Fox bender with a blanket. Also taped the four bindings together.

Is there much runout in the bindings and how thick were they?

Some bindings can be a bear to bend if they have too much runout in them.

Bob

matthew · Post by **matthew** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 10:53 pm

I reckon they're not getting hot enough. Linings are thicker than ribs and so with lightbulbs the heat will get away way too fast. (won't build up inside the bender) Try bending over a hot pipe or a clothes iron as a test.

In my experience heat is more critical than water soaking. The heat is what softens the lignin. The water just makes steam to conduct the heat into the wood a little further.

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:23 pm

I agree completely with Mathew. No way will light bulbs give you enough heat to bend Jarrah. It does bend quite well but it needs heat. If you do not have a bending iron, make one with a gas torch and some baffled pipe. In a pinch, you can get away with using the barrel of a heat gun.

Cheers

Kim

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 7:00 am

Every time I try to bend a difficult wood in the bender I'll end up having some or all of them break on me. I've just resigned my self to using the bending iron for doing bindings. I seem to have much more control and can feel when the wood wants to bend. Haven't cracked one on the iron, but lost heaps on the bending form. I never soak the wood either. Just give it a douse under the shower, and have a spritz bottle at hand as it dries out as I'm bending.

Dominic · Post by **Dominic** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 9:00 am

I have found that it is easier to bend bindngs in the bender if I bundle up a bunch together. It must work by reducing the surface area where heat can escape because the edges are touching and this (I assume) helps get and keep the binding hotter during bending. The mass is larger.

Like others, I put a few bits of tape across them to keep them tightly bundled and lightly spritz then wrapped in craft paper. The last lot I did I bent maple and CocoRW together. I wrapped the different woods seperately to avoid colour bleeding but put them back together to bend. I don't use much water at all. You could try wood softener. I ordered some a while ago just to have at hand and haven't used it yet but it would seem a good idea for difficult figured binding. They use it on highly figured veneer. May be better than making expensive figured matchsticks.
Dom

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 10:54 am

I bend bindings exactly as I bend sides and have never had any accidents.

I use a Fox style bender, heating blanket, lightly spritz the wood (very little water) and wrap in craft paper. I bend my bindings at .090 but I have also bent bindings at .130 this way with no problems.

The soaking in water is an old method that I don't agree with and can cause wood to laminate and/or cup.

Taylor guitars bends hundreds of sides a week with no water what to ever.

Kim Strode · Post by **Kim Strode** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:03 am

Thank you all for your advice and replies. I sort of expected your collective response, but wanted confirmation. I am in the process of ordering a thermal blanket from MEI and will then put your advice into practice.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 4:11 pm

Does anyone know what's in wood softener? Where do you get it, and is it expensive?

Dominic · Post by **Dominic** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:21 pm

http://www.joewoodworker.com/.
Allen, try this place. These guys also have info and kits for building vacuum presses. Cool web site. I heard you could use glycerin for softening and tried some on scrap but with heat, it cooked and discoloured like caramel.
Dom

Bob Connor · Post by **Bob Connor** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 5:24 pm

I got some from here Allen

http://www.veneersupplies.com

It ended up costing about $120AUD by the time I got it here but I figured that it was a good investment if it saved just one set of highly figured sides that was part of an expensive set.

We only use if we think the sides require it.

Bob

Lillian · Post by **Lillian** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 3:50 pm

Allen, I sent almost a full gallon to Kim not too long ago. It's was about $38 for flat rate international shipping and then whatever the gallon of Super Soft was at the time. I vaguely remember it being on sale at the time. Kim might remember the details better than I do. But if you need some shipped, let me know.

Its on sale again. $29.60. Oh, by the way, www.joewoodworker.com and Veneer Supplies are the same place.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 7:04 pm

Thanks for the offer Lillian. I was just curious about what it was. I'll do some more research about what it does and if I might have a use for it. It's good to have people that will do us all little favors

Lillian · Post by **Lillian** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 2:07 am

Allen, if you want hand raising and stories about using Super Soft, go to the OLF and ask. I think you might be surprised at the number of those that use it and love it.

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