Hi All,
Firstly, thanks all of the posters on here, it is a fantastic read, and a great resource for someone like me (a complete novice).
I will be starting my first early next year, exactly what that will be i am not so sure. I would love to build a weissenborn (even more so after seeing Allen's amazing work), but figure i should learn to walk before trying to run. So, will start of small with a uke or little guitar and then move on from there.
I am looking to try bending sides, and want to practice a bit... this may be a silly question but what sort of wood would you recommend to practice on ... would normal pine be OK?
Cheers
Chris
Easy question
I've got no idea how pine will bend, as I've never tried it.
I think some of the easiest woods that I've bent is Blackwood or Monterey Cypress, and then is East Indian Rosewood.
The Cypress is available locally and really inexpensive to practice on. Tim has a good supply I believe, so if you ask him for some dodgy off cuts to practice with, he'll may be able to accommodate you.
The trickiest part of bending for the beginner I think is getting the wood to the correct thickness. Most do not realize that sides are going to need to be 2.0 to 2.3 mm thick for a guitar, thinner for a uke. They start out at 3 mm or more and for most woods this is just is far to thick to bend effectively.
I think some of the easiest woods that I've bent is Blackwood or Monterey Cypress, and then is East Indian Rosewood.
The Cypress is available locally and really inexpensive to practice on. Tim has a good supply I believe, so if you ask him for some dodgy off cuts to practice with, he'll may be able to accommodate you.
The trickiest part of bending for the beginner I think is getting the wood to the correct thickness. Most do not realize that sides are going to need to be 2.0 to 2.3 mm thick for a guitar, thinner for a uke. They start out at 3 mm or more and for most woods this is just is far to thick to bend effectively.
Hi Chris welcome to the ANZLF. 
No matter what you build you would have invested a substantial amount of time and effort by the time your done. How much is all your time worth Chris? My bet is that it would be worth more than a stick of radiata. My advise is to stick with traditional woods. They are proven and give you nothing to blame but yourself for the result. As Allen suggest give Tim Spittle of Australian Tonewoods a call on 08 62782187. Tim is a great bloke and he should be able to set you up with something suitable for a first at a very reasonable price.
Cheers
Kim
No matter what you build you would have invested a substantial amount of time and effort by the time your done. How much is all your time worth Chris? My bet is that it would be worth more than a stick of radiata. My advise is to stick with traditional woods. They are proven and give you nothing to blame but yourself for the result. As Allen suggest give Tim Spittle of Australian Tonewoods a call on 08 62782187. Tim is a great bloke and he should be able to set you up with something suitable for a first at a very reasonable price.
Cheers
Kim
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ozziebluesman
- Blackwood
- Posts: 1550
- Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:12 am
- Location: Townsville
- Contact:
G'day Chris,
Welcome to the forum. My first build was a weissenborn guitar. Fact, I built two slider's at once with one being the guinea pig. They both turned out good so that was a plus. I'm about to start two concert size guitars to gain some more building experience! It is a great hobby!
Cheers
Alan
Welcome to the forum. My first build was a weissenborn guitar. Fact, I built two slider's at once with one being the guinea pig. They both turned out good so that was a plus. I'm about to start two concert size guitars to gain some more building experience! It is a great hobby!
Cheers
Alan
-
DarwinStrings
- Blackwood
- Posts: 1877
- Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:27 pm
- Location: Darwin
Hi Chriss
If budget is a consideration for you, you may try a bit of Tassie oak from your local Hardware, it will stain in contact with a steel pipe when it is wet but that shouldn't concern you if your just practicing. It will only be cheap though if you can get it down to 2.3mm without having to pay someone to re-saw it
Jim
If budget is a consideration for you, you may try a bit of Tassie oak from your local Hardware, it will stain in contact with a steel pipe when it is wet but that shouldn't concern you if your just practicing. It will only be cheap though if you can get it down to 2.3mm without having to pay someone to re-saw it
Jim
Hi Chris and welcome
I’ve just bent a couple of huon pine sides, I wanted them thicker than I would usually use so they were 3mm and they bent like butter on my old steel pipe. Then just for a bit of fun I bent a set from silky oak for a parlor guitar, they were almost as easy. Silky oak is one of those timbers you sometimes find at demolition yards (or by recycling old furniture) so maybe it would be a good easy practice timber, you may even have a bit of it floating around at home... just have to hope the other half doesn't notice the missing top on the dresser.
Cheers
James
I’ve just bent a couple of huon pine sides, I wanted them thicker than I would usually use so they were 3mm and they bent like butter on my old steel pipe. Then just for a bit of fun I bent a set from silky oak for a parlor guitar, they were almost as easy. Silky oak is one of those timbers you sometimes find at demolition yards (or by recycling old furniture) so maybe it would be a good easy practice timber, you may even have a bit of it floating around at home... just have to hope the other half doesn't notice the missing top on the dresser.
Cheers
James
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