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I enjoyed the post on using aluminum/stainless steel/ spring steel for side bending.
Thats a part of my process that needs improvement.
I've never used craft paper around the wood and want to give it a try.
But I'm not positive I know what craft paper is.
Is it the packing stuff StewMac uses?
It's like the old paper bags you use to get at most stores?

I know I know, I need to change my signature line to "Dumber that a Box of Rocks"

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

It's just brown wrapping paper. At least what I use is and it works great.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I've had bad experiences with Kraft paper - I use paper as protective layer just incase the bending form or slat has resin or oil from a dark wood. I found that Kraft paper when wet can leach off a reddish dye, this happened on a set of Curly Cherry sides. The stains were indelible and the sides were ruined. But the solution was simple, now I use white parchment paper which can be found in the baking aisle in your local grocery store.

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

Same......parchment paper here as well

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Blue Ring Acoustics
blueringacoustics.ca

I've had good luck with the brown rolls of paper they sell for masking off areas being painted (masking paper). It's pretty inexpensive and is in all the big box home improvement stores near the masking tape.

Kent

I always thought the point of the craft paper was to wet it which would produce more heat energy as the water boiled into steam - enabling you to get more heat into the wood without scorching.

Anyhow, yes it's just the old paper grocery bag material.

I can see how parchment paper could be used as a protective layer but it can't be soaked with water if you are trying to get steam and doesn't it have silicone in it to give it it's non-stick and high temp resistance properties?

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

Like the Martin factory we thin our sides to .075" +/- a spritz with a spray bottle has worked well providing enough moisture, no foil, Kraft paper packs required. Admittedly we stay away from super figured or the way exotic woods.

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

Its Kraft paper....with a K. German word for "strong" There actually is a paper industry standard for it about what wood fibers are used and such....and it makes the whole town smell like a fart when the mill is producing it. It is just brown paper grocery bag type paper.

Well...now you know that craft paper is essentially the stuff that Stew Mac occasionally uses to stuff cartons and it's also the stuff used to make brown paper shopping bags. Different companies might use slightly different recipes for making it. I don't bend by machine, so I can't comment on its qualities for wrapping the sides before bending, but I believe I have seen that done on several videos. I love the stuff for drawing. You would be amazed to discover how well a folded or wadded up bunch of this paper can be ironed out flat with an ordinary steam iron. I love it for drawing full scale plans of instruments, furniture parts, whatever.

Decades ago, every retail store in my town had a roll of this stuff under the counter, which they used to wrap up various items. When I wanted to make a fairly large drawing, I'd just walk up and ask: "May I buy about two yards of that brown paper?" The clerks would sometimes look a little confused, but they'd sell it to me, or, as often, they'd give it to me. I'd walk away with a two yard roll in my hand--no wrinkles that needed to be ironed.

Times change, and it's not so easy to find behind the counter in a retail store. But it's still widely available.

I just bent a pair of cocobolo sides with craft paper, and when I took the sides out, the paper was covered with resin/whatever you want to call it from the cocobolo. I don't know if it matters, but I'm assuming it's a good thing that all that cr@p didn't end up on the bending slats.

Steve

Thanks for all the replies.
Lots of good info

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

Heads up. Ikea, in UK at least, has wide rolls of heavyweight brown wrapping paper for customers to use, after the check-outs, near the exits. Strangely enough, some of that seems to have found its way into my workshop.
I've never found better stuff anywhere.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I'm getting in on this conversation late, but like Kent, I use the paint masking paper sold in the big box stores. It comes in rolls of different widths (it's fairly thin compared to grocery bags) and the stuff I got is 6 inches wide. Just right for my spring steel slats. I use a sandwich with wet kraft paper against the wood, followed by foil, and then the slat. I use one blanket on the top side under the slat but above the foil. Kraft paper goes in wet and comes out almost completely dry after bending is complete. Depending on the wood, as Steve observed, the paper does appear to pick up some resins or something, which I consider a good thing as well.

Martin uses kraft paper with Cocobolo for the same reason.. I am not a fan of foil. Kraft paper or the white untreated paper. Not all kraft paper is the same. I use a thicker paper not the thin stuff . Never used the parchment but can see where it would be fine.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

What I like about raft paper for bending besides carrying away lots of the oils and crap that contaminates our slats is that when I bend, wood that is... I like a little moisture but very little moisture. Craft paper when wet seems to hold just the right amount without soaking the sides which can lead to other issues such as cupping, etc.

Foil also will turn Koa and Koa family woods such as Tass Blackwood, AKA black Acacia green. Can't remember how many OLFers over the years had a big surprise using foil and these woods and then promptly posted on the OLF that their sides were green... Wish I had a dollar for every one and wish even more that these bad things just didn't happen to folks in the first place...

I didn't read every post so if someone else mentioned the Koa green meanies my apologies.

Bacon anyone--?

+1 for masking paper. It's already 6" wide, very inexpensive, and as Steve mentioned can keep resins/pigment off the slats and blanket. This is some masking paper after bending a set of Paduke sides. I thought they were too cool to throw away...

Best, M

Very cool. But watch the sanding dust from the padauk, it gets everywhere. And be particularly careful if you're using flame maple binding. It can get into the exposed grain and it's next to impossible to get out.

DAMHIKT

Steve

The shroud of padauk!

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Pat

I have never used paper in my bend it seems like it would help big time. I have just been using foil.

Hesh, its funny you mention! I had no idea and bent a nice set of curly koa and luckily they didn't turn green.
I have three more sets that ill be using craft paper on.

Hey Wes You may have gotten lucky my friend and spared the dreaded green cast and that's a good thing. When I started using paper I never got the green cast again.

We think it's a reaction with metal and the wood but no one has ever to my knowledge confirmed this with the scientific method.

I've cut many a grocery bag apart and used that as a wrapping sides in for bending when we're out of parchment paper, works well.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com