Guitar sized Heat Blanket & Ukes Query

[Lillian]

It's really a personal choice. Obviously Craig prefers just a pipe. And I know that he isn't the only one. There is less risk with a blanket and form, once you get the technique down than there is with a pipe. But there are those that would say that bending on a pipe isn't risky, once you get the technique down. I know several builders that mainly use a blanket also have a pipe for touch ups or for one-offs.

I'd suggest that before you spend the money, see if you can check them out in action, maybe a bit of hands on so you can have a better idea of what works for you.

And before buying the bending iron, look into making your own.

[liam_fnq]

I've got a blanket from LMI. My pipe is a 0.75kg primus gas torch in a piece of gal pipe.

Be aware that the blankets come with a European plug that will need to be changed to an Australian plug. The wiring is pretty simple, the two wires go to the two upper (angled) pins, there is no earth. The problem is that a poor connection can burn out, potentially ruining the blanket. so make sure a good job is done (on any electrical work). I think we had one here on the forum a little while ago that burnt out in the plug due to a poor connection.

**Disclaimer** All electrical connections must be done by a licenced electrician.

[Nick]

**Disclaimer** All electrical connections must be done by a licenced electrician.

Not touting for business are you Liam?
I love my heating iron, there's nothing quite like the feeling of that wood bending & giving under your hands but I will have to succumb to a blanket one day I guess . I have some beautiful Ziricote that's begging to be made into a guitar & apparently a blanket is about the only 'safe' way of bending this without it splitting. It was too bloody expensive to be experimenting on the iron with!
I'm having trouble getting my head around the 'blanket in the air' bit though, if it used in conjunction with a controller shouldn't it never overheat? (I know nothing of heating elements & how they behave)

[liam_fnq]

Nick, you've got to have something I desperately want to get me to do a cashie and let me tell you, money/beer is not enough. Usual payment is in the form of time spent teaching me skills I can't aquire at the local supermarket. Allen's probably only half aware that I've booked myself into "Allen's School of Producing Flawlessly Laquered Insruments for People Who Can't Spray Good" later in the year after all this uke fest stuff settles down.

Incidently Nick, your machinist skills put you very high on the list of people I'll do cashies for

[joolstacho]

Why not make your own pipe bender. Dead easy.
I used an element from a small old electric hot water service, mounted in a short length of S/S pipe scrounged from a truck zorst factory (mine's 4"dia). Just a simple switch mounted in the end, and a tough right angle bracket to mount in the vice. Turn it on and off to maintain required temp. (These elements are sleeved in ceramic and hold the temp really well). Just make sure the element coils can't short out on inside of the tubing.
-Jools