New Fixture

Over the weekend, I built my new fixture out of 3/4" MDF. I also found out that the template I used to trace out my original top and fixture was not accurate and was too large. This means that the top that I have been working on isn't going to be the correct size. It should be o.k. because it is just a little large in a couple of places and I can just cut it down to size. With my new fixture built, I was able to bend the long side with the scroll. I ended up getting a little split in the scroll area and kept going. Once I had the scroll shaped right, I continued bending the long gradual bend around the instrument. I got a little ahead of myself and cracked it again. I figured since I had gotten that far, I should just go ahead and put it in the fixture and figure out how bad it was later. When I took it out of the fixture the next day, I was able to sand to the bottom of the split so all was not lost. Here is a picture of all of the sides in the fixture. The next step is to cut out the tail block, head block, and the point blocks. Then I will be ready to glue the sides together.

Bending the Sides

Over the weekend I worked on my bending iron. If I was to buy one from a luthier supply company, I would spend up to $200 so I tried to build one myself. Those that don't use an electric bending iron, use a piece of steel pipe and a propane torch. I thought about doing it that way but I thought it would be hard to get the pipe to the correct temperature and keep it there. I have been checking out a lot of books lately from the library about woodworking and I found one called "Makin' your own country instruments." In that book, I found plans for building your own bending iron. I modified it a little to accommodate the materials I had. Basically it is three pieces of 2X4's glued together with a piece of 1 1/4 pipe filled with sand mounted to the 2x4's. Inside the pipe is a hot water heater element that is wired to a light dimmer switch. The sand helps dissipate the heat evenly along the pipe and the dimmer allows me to control the temperature. I got the pipe to 375 degrees which was too hot and scorched my piece of practice wood.

I also worked on my rim fixture over the weekend. The rim fixture is what is used to form the sides of the instrument. I cut it out of 3/4" plywood and was not too happy with it. I just couldn't get it right so I rigged it and quit. I will probably make another later.

This afternoon during lunch, I grew impatient because I haven't made any progress since I prepped my sides for bending. I figured I would just heat up the pipe and try bending a piece for fun. Once I got started I couldn't quit. I used the rim fixture that I wasn't happy with and before I knew it I had two of the three side pieces bent. Basically, you take the piece of side wood you are going to use and spritz some water on it. Then you let the water soak in the wood for a little bit, maybe 30 seconds, and then you bend the wood across the hot pipe. The hot pipe turns the water to steam and makes the wood pliable for a brief moment. You continue to spray the wood with water and check your progress on the rim fixture. Once you get it the way you want it, you clamp it to your fixture and let it set for at least 24 hours. I only used the scrap piece of wood to make the two sides. If they turn out good, I will use them. I have the more difficult long side left to bend and I might need the other two pieces if I break one of them during the bending process.

Here is my version of an electric bending iron that costs less than $20 and my rim fixture holding the two sides.

Finished planing the sides

I didn't do anything new today but I did finish up prepping the other two side pieces. Tomorrow I will probably try and cut out my fixtures that will help me bend my sides.

Preparing the sides

This afternoon I went home for lunch to try and thickness the sides with a scraper. I honed the scraper blades like I had read and then burnished the edge. This is supposed to create a burr or a hook along the length of the scraper to microplane what ever it is "scraped" against. Once again all my scraper did was make dust and not nice fine curls. I then tried my big bench plane to see if I could plane it smooth without breaking the sides. This went fairly quickly taking the smallest shavings I could. The sides began about .140 inches and was rough from the bandsaw cuts from the mill. Once I planed both sides, I had them down to a fairly consistent thickness of .100 inches. That is supposedly on the thin side but it will make them easier to bend.

Once I had the side at a good thickness I had to make them the right width. I first tried to use a small backsaw but I couldn't get a nice clean and straight cut. I then figured out I could clamp the sides to a 2x4 and run my block plane down the edges of the sides and get them down to the width that way. Once again, a tablesaw would have made quick work of this but you work with what you have. So, today I was able prep sides, well one of my side pieces, for bending. Maybe tomorrow I will be able to prep the other two pieces.

Weekend Update

I spent a couple of hours on Saturday morning working on the top. I drew out the outline of the scroll and cut it out using a scroll saw that was a hand me down from my grandfather. After I had the scroll cut out, I placed a piece of scrap leather in the cutout so that I could carve around the button of the scroll without chipping the button. I only carved it part of the way. I have heard that others only carve it part of the way, and then finish the carving of the scroll once the top is glued to the sides. Just a little more shaping to do on the top and then I will carve out the inside of the top. I think I am going to put the top on hold for a while and start concentrating on the sides. I have a workshop I am going to be going to in a couple of weeks that will show me how to bend the sides and I have a few steps to do before then.