billsterl Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 I am interested in building a side bender. Maybe a Fox style. Has anyone done this? How hard is it to build? Or should I buy one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Preston Swift Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 i know people have done this on the forum before but not me. I know they aren't that complicated to build if you carefully plan it. Unless you are made of money or plan to use it alot i suggest you not buy one. A Fox style i think goes for $300 or $400. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 They're not that complicated even if you dont' spend a lot of time planning. Mine's just a half-body shape, wide enough for a side (5"), smaller by the thickness of my heat blanket and sides, with about 1/8" of overbend built into the waist, about the same at the head and tail (some use a little more, up to 1/4"). Add some clamps of some sort and bend. My bender with a side in it: Works fine, and I really, really, really reccomend you spend the 100 bucks on a blanket+controller (Say from Blues Creek Guitars) over lightbulbs. One set of expensive wood not broken and you've saved money. The rest of the bender is trivially cheap; MDF, a couple of bits of threaded rod, mostly scrap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 I got a tutorial for building a fox style bender that I downloaded from some where. It's not up anymore on the original place, but it's still not mine and I dont whant to post it for copy right reasons... But if you PM me I'll send it to you in a mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsterl Posted March 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 They're not that complicated even if you dont' spend a lot of time planning. Mine's just a half-body shape, wide enough for a side (5"), smaller by the thickness of my heat blanket and sides, with about 1/8" of overbend built into the waist, about the same at the head and tail (some use a little more, up to 1/4"). Add some clamps of some sort and bend. My bender with a side in it: Works fine, and I really, really, really reccomend you spend the 100 bucks on a blanket+controller (Say from Blues Creek Guitars) over lightbulbs. One set of expensive wood not broken and you've saved money. The rest of the bender is trivially cheap; MDF, a couple of bits of threaded rod, mostly scrap. Looks good-what is overbend? Is it like the name implies? Thanks for your help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodWood Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 Is there an issue with using plywood? I will shield it with aluminium. Can the heat effect the woodplys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 I made one very similar to Mattia's from birch ply. No problems so far (but only 3 sets of sides...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 Is there an issue with using plywood? I will shield it with aluminium. Can the heat effect the woodplys? Most are made from good quality ply and they work fine. I have bulbs in mine and I asked myself the same question. Several years of bending later it shows no problems. Peace,Rich P.S. As with any heat source on wood. You need to never leave it unattended(most likely that is when you would over cook a set anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 Ply, MDF, Whatever. MDF is just a whole boatload cheaper, and works fine for this sort of application. Overbend, for me, just means exaggerate the curves a little bit, because wood wants to 'spring' back a little. Mike Doolin's written a good article on his bender, which is a little more complex than mine: http://www.doolinguitars.com/articles/bender/ Like Rich says, NEVER LEAVE A BENDER UNATTENDED, not for a second, don't answer the phone, nothing. Best case scenario is a burnt side. Worst case is a firey death. Also, head over to the MIMF.com, register, and read the various discussions on making a bender in the library. Well worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Preston Swift Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 how much would it cost to build a Fox side bender using bulbs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 how much would it cost to build a Fox side bender using bulbs? This style bender w/bulbs- will run- $20 wood $15 bases and bulbs $3 screw and such $6 springs(for sprung blocks *not attached in pic) $20 main waist screw $10 dimmer, wires, junction box and cord $25 cutoway attachment and screw $5 aluminum slats **$20 heat gun(really should use to suppliment bulbs) Probably $130 by the time all is said and done Although I personally have been using this style for quite a while. I would recommend Mattia's or Erik's style w/ heat blanket. It is faster and has a much lower learning curve(as Mattia mentioned all you have to do is blow one good set of sides and you paid for the heat blanket.). Not to mention a Doolin style bender can be made with much more simplified mechanisms. Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 Also, looking at Rich's price list, even with about 100 bucks in a blanket, the simiple type can be made for about as much money. Seriously, MDF/Ply can be found by the crubside, and/or get a sheet of the stuff (25 bucks or so here), enough for several benders and molds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodWood Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 I was thinking 3 200 watts with a dimmer switch, to turn in down after 10 minutes to about 150 or so. Or leave the large area with a 200 watter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted March 21, 2007 Report Share Posted March 21, 2007 I was thinking 3 200 watts with a dimmer switch, to turn in down after 10 minutes to about 150 or so. Or leave the large area with a 200 watter. Try all 200watt. Turn it on full blast. Insulate the top of the wood with a couple layers of foil. Seal the ends of the machine as best you can. Be sure you have sealed up your stack of wood well to get the steam rolling and contained. You may be able to peak the temp at 275deg F. and that will take a bit of time. Note this will not get a cutoway to temp no matter how long you leave it, as you have to get it to temp before you get it close to shape. I use the lamps to warm the set up to the 200-225 range. Then work the temp up with a heat gun to get 275 to 310 degrees. That is realistic. I have bent many sets that way. You will never get a good bend close to 150 deg. You may get a springy bend in the 225 range(but big spring back). Those are throughout temps. That means you need to get that temp throughout the thickness of the wood. If you under cook and get fair bend on one side and low temp bend on the outside you really run the risk of cracking. No matter what you need it see some steam escaping and hold that temp for a little bit(that only clues you in to the 225 range). Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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