Need help bending snakewood binding

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viento
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Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by viento » Fri May 01, 2015 6:52 pm

I´ve never bent snakewood bindings.
With my second acoustic guitar I want to do it because I like the look
but I am a bit insecure how I should bend without breaking or splitting.

I will use my bending tube ( ca.4" diameter) heated with a heat gun.
What temperature is best?

How long should I wet these stripes?

>material information:
EIR back and sides
German spruce Top
cedro neck
ebony fingerboard and bridge

This is going to be a baritone 12-string with 27" scale
...and to make things a bit more complicated
I decided to make a florentine cutaway

I searched the web about this question but had no real
results.
Maybe somebody can give me a hint or share his experience. :D

Thanks!
Thanks!

Hardy

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kiwigeo
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by kiwigeo » Fri May 01, 2015 7:18 pm

I'd try soaking in water beforehand and use a bit higher heat than for IRW. A bit of Supersoft would also help. be careful with high heat if there are purflings glued to the binding.

Most importantly....have a couple of spare lengths of binding.
Martin

viento
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by viento » Sat May 02, 2015 5:39 am

Thanks for your help!
I will try to get some Supersoft and give it a try.
Maybe a thin sheet of steel would help too.
Thanks!

Hardy

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kiwigeo
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by kiwigeo » Sat May 02, 2015 3:47 pm

Yes...a good idea to have a strap around outside of wood while bending.....helps keep the heat in and also supplies a but of support for fibres that may be about to pop out.

With difficult woods just take it easy and don't apply too much pressure to the wood.
Martin

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56nortondomy
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by 56nortondomy » Sat May 02, 2015 4:53 pm

Also make sure you've got some super glue handy, put it on any small splits straight away. Wayne

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rocket
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by rocket » Sat May 02, 2015 10:01 pm

While superglue is being mentioned can anyone tell me where i can get some CA accelerator here in Oz.
Rod.
Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

www.octiganguitars.com

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56nortondomy
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by 56nortondomy » Sat May 02, 2015 10:57 pm

There was a guy on eBay here in oz selling it, not sure if he still does Rod, i got mine from the US. Wayne

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ozwood
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by ozwood » Sun May 03, 2015 1:56 am

Try Blackwoods Rod, we use it at work and I'm pretty sure it's from blackwoods.

https://www.blackwoods.com.au/part/0149 ... -7452-20gm

or

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NO-LABEL-SUP ... 3396e07511

or your local model hobby shop.

cheers,
Paul .

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rocket
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by rocket » Sun May 03, 2015 7:30 am

Thanks Paul, i'll check those out.
Rod.
Like I said before the crash, " Hit the bloody thing, it won't hit ya back

www.octiganguitars.com

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kiwigeo
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by kiwigeo » Mon May 04, 2015 7:39 pm

rocket wrote:While superglue is being mentioned can anyone tell me where i can get some CA accelerator here in Oz.
Rod.
Carbatec carry the stuff along with the hotshot range of CA glues.
Martin

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J.F. Custom
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by J.F. Custom » Tue May 05, 2015 9:13 pm

kiwigeo wrote:
rocket wrote:While superglue is being mentioned can anyone tell me where i can get some CA accelerator here in Oz.
Rod.
Carbatec carry the stuff along with the hotshot range of CA glues.
Martin is right in that C-Tec has it - "Hot Stuff" (not 'shot' - an amalgamation of "Hot Stuff" and "Hipshot" there Martin? :wink: ), made in USA.

If I recall correctly, Stew-Mac used to carry Hot Stuff as it's range of cyanoacrylates (super glue) before they were replaced with their own branded products. Perhaps it is still the same stuff, just re-branded for them by Hot Stuff...

Jeremy.

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kiwigeo
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by kiwigeo » Thu May 07, 2015 8:21 am

J.F. Custom wrote:
Martin is right in that C-Tec has it - "Hot Stuff" (not 'shot' - an amalgamation of "Hot Stuff" and "Hipshot" there Martin? :wink: ), made in USA.
I was shot when I wrote the post.......had downed a few Guninesses.
Martin

Bruce McC
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by Bruce McC » Thu May 07, 2015 3:50 pm

Hi V

For what it is worth I made a bending strap using aluminium flashing. Bought the flashing from Bunnings, found it in the building materials section.
Not very expensive, it comes in rolls 150 mm wide by 5 or so metres long which is more than you'll need. My strap is approx 300 mm long
and I folded the flashing in half to stiffen it up a bit. Pop riveted a couple of blocks of scrap timber (quarter sawn of course) to each end for handles
and used it for bending sides for a uke.
Attachments
Bending Strap 002.jpg
Bending Strap 001.jpg
Bruce Mc.

Solandra
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by Solandra » Thu May 07, 2015 7:05 pm

Would you believe that "Glen 20" is also a good CA accelerant? You just have to do a bit of trial and error to not get a white finish (less is best). I learned this in wood turning class making pens;)

Mark

viento
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by viento » Mon May 11, 2015 9:30 pm

@ Bruce McC :
Thats a nice jig!
Thanks for sharing.
I´ll make one for the next bending.
Thanks!

Hardy

printer2
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by printer2 » Tue May 12, 2015 12:11 pm

For what it is worth, from my reading on bending wood I got that wood does not like to be pulled apart. More than 1% and you may start getting fractures. It does not mind being compressed. Part of the reason a back strap helps, even better if the strap is clamped to the wood or the wood. Also I used liquid fabric softener to get some stubborn wood to bend without breaking. Mixed it with water and let it soak over night dried it and bent it.

viento
Beefwood
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Re: Need help bending snakewood binding

Post by viento » Tue May 19, 2015 7:41 am

printer2 wrote:....Also I used liquid fabric softener to get some stubborn wood to bend without breaking. Mixed it with water and let it soak over night dried it and bent it.
Thanks for your help!

I stumbled over "veneer softener". Must give that liquid a try. Maybe overnight like you did.

If the snakewood doesn´t bend I will do the binding with nice figured Tasmanian blackwood .
Thanks!

Hardy

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