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I'm going to be bending my first set of Ziricote this weekend and wondering if any of you experienced with this wood have temperature or moisture recommendations? I've thinned it to .080"

I'll be bending with a silicone blanket in a Fox-style jig. Yes, bend the waist first on a hot pipe. I usually wrap in unprinted news print and back on both sides with thin steel sheets.

With my last set of figured maple I went a little too heavy with the moisture on one side, which I think lead to some additional cupping. Does Ziricote need more or less moisture than average? Just a light mist, or soak?

Ideal temperature?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

I used Super Soft 2 on the 3 Ziricote sets I bent 1 om 1 sj and a deep cutaway 00 12 fret. I bend all woods at 300 degrees starting the waist bend at about 250 and usually it is at 300 when I've completed the bends. I then turn down the temperature to 250 and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Why would you want to do the waist on a hot pipe the waist and cutaways bend great on the fox style bender with slats and blanket? As for moisture I wrap the sides in krafty paper and spray a bit of water on the paper with all woods I bend.

I use a PID controller for temperature control but using a thermometer and watching the temperature is no problem, I turn down to cook the sides as I want to avoid too much darkening of the wood.

Fred

_________________
Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Our process (KMG) is a less sophisticated version of the Taylor bending method, conceptually the same thing without pneumatics -- However, we took our first cue for preliminary waist bending from Jean Larrivee. We locate off the apex of the inner waist curve through out our process -- since adopted virtually zero breakage nothing can ruin your day more than that heart stopping "snap!!" We bend sets almost every day so its important we take measures to minimize waste/scrap.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxEqGqi4D-E

minute 2:46

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQVEvJlTGaI

_________________
Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

+1 for Fred's method - I have bent a few sets exactly as Fred has detailed and they came out perfectly...

Our local group of luthiers happens to be in the middle of building a ziricote OM for a local charity. Since none of us had any experience with the wood I spoke with Stephen at Colonial Tonewoods (who graciously donated a beautiful set of sides-thanks!) and he supplied the following advice (if memory serves correctly). Since this wood is prone to cracking while being bent, wet one side with naphtha and check the reverse for bleed-thru. If there is any, circle it with a pencil marking. Then place the sides on wax paper with the marked sides up, run some thin CA glue into the circled areas and gently clamp the edges of each side providing transverse pressure. Once the glue is dried the sides should have no problem with being bent much as Fred outlined.

Thanks guys. Success!

I thinned the sides to .080", lightly spritzed with water and rubbed in it (not dripping water) wrapped in unprinted newsprint and placed in in my bending machine.

Heated to 300 degrees, started the waist bend at about 280. Slow and steady bending, and a soak at 250 degrees for about 10 minutes, and then let cool to room temp. No cracks, buckling or other. The sides turned out great.

I too use a bender. My new one is more like the new LMI version than the fox. I use 2 blankets, a full sized one and a waist blanket. I sandwich them all together and place on the bender. I heat the waist blanket first and then bend the waist. I unplug that blanket, wait 5 minutes or so for it to cool (sometimes spritzing it with water) then heat the full blanket. I bend starting with the lower bout at around 250 followed by the upper. So, I actually bend the waist first. That way you can heat up the waist, get your bend, and then let it cool some before continuing. It avoids drying the sides out so much and helps avoid scorching the waist area.

I also use SS on most bends (not so much on Indian RW)

I like the idea of CA'ing the sides first. I just use enough water to wet thin craft paper.

_________________
Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust