Cuban problem to sort out for next year

Timbuck

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I have two dozen pairs of these Cuban Mahogany sides to bend for next year so I did a test to see how they responded in the Foxy type bender..I havn't had any problems for the last few months with bending till now,,,Very disappointing.:(
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That break looks almost perfectly placed for some violin-style cut-outs :D
 
Sorry, I meant to ask if the wooden sides get soaked in water prior to bending with heat?

I thought that was what you meant .I was in a playful mood :)...Yes! they were soaked in water and wrapped in foil...It's been a foolproof method until now..Next I'll try some chemical treatment..or starting the waist on the hot pipe first...or making the sides thinner..using more heat...or whatever it takes.
 
Next I'll try some chemical treatment..or starting the waist on the hot pipe first...or making the sides thinner..using more heat...or whatever it takes.

I feel your pain Ken... It seems I remember a while back you using a shaped caul and a hot pipe to prebend the waist on your sides which I thought looked brilliant. Always wanted to try that but never got around to it... By the way I use an ammonia soak to pre-treat my wood and wrap in foil prior to bending. Works well and the wood bends like a noodle. The main problem with this method is some discoloration of the wood which has to be sanded out. The method has worked with every type of wood EXCEPT bloodwood and ebony, two woods that do not absorb well.
 
I feel your pain Ken... It seems I remember a while back you using a shaped caul and a hot pipe to prebend the waist on your sides which I thought looked brilliant. Always wanted to try that but never got around to it... By the way I use an ammonia soak to pre-treat my wood and wrap in foil prior to bending. Works well and the wood bends like a noodle. The main problem with this method is some discoloration of the wood which has to be sanded out. The method has worked with every type of wood EXCEPT bloodwood and ebony, two woods that do not absorb well.
I don't stock ammonia..will urine work ? I can get plenty of that.:)
 
If at first you don't succeed Bla Bla Bla.;)
All went well this time ...I turned up the heat by 15% this time no cracks or wrinlkles no nowt eccept for a lot of staining there is a lot of tannin in this wood.
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I thought i'd stopped building for this year..but it looks like I might squeeze one more out before Xmas..This Cuban Mahog is going to be pretty dark when finished.

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Im still struggling with this reclaimed mahogany .. but I think I have now found a procedure that works...I have lost 6 sets so far 5 from cracking and 1 from stupidity where I put the sides in the bender back to front...The commercial veneer softener I bought didn't work at all and the wood was still brittle after soaking all night...I tried Chucks suggestion of applying thin CA glue at the waist and that didn't work either and fumes that came off me me cry.:(
So onwards and upwards :cheers:
 
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