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Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.resohangout.com/archive/12066
ernest - Posted - 12/15/2009: 07:33:40
I'm thinking of building a dobro.
Is it possible to bend plywood birch whit a bending iron and how long do I have to hold it it under water before bending?
Brad Bechtel - Posted - 12/15/2009: 07:57:13
I dont' know if there are many builders on this forum. They usually hang out at the [url=http://www.mimf.com]Musical Instrument Makers Forum[/url]. Good luck!
Tom Jr. - Posted - 12/15/2009: 11:38:47
Awwww, there are plenty of builders, professinal and part-timers on this website. I have gotten invaluable (or very valuable) advice here. Plywood though is not my specialty. I'm all about solid woods.
A bathtub is a great place to pre-soak your sides. Give it ten minutes or more. I have even used a short section of gutter, capped off the ends and filled it up with water and set it on the kitchen stove so that it was getting seriously hot water before I hit the bending iron. This stuff works with solid woods, and you may need to take some precautions about not wrecking the bond between plywood layers.
phil dean - Posted - 12/15/2009: 14:49:35
Buy some 1/8" plywood and it isnt that hard. I usually spritz it thoroughly and bend it around the form, clamp it down, and let it sit for a day or so,but I rarely do one so you may want to ask someone who builds regularly from ply.
Steevarino - Posted - 12/15/2009: 18:25:17
Yeah, not to many builders on this forum . . . Where you been, Brad??? We talk about building here all the time!
Having said that, I have had no experience bending plywood.....!
However, when I was dropping a couple of my reso's off at Gruhn Guitar sometime last year, I saw a reso. that had plywood sides. I knew it was plywood, because the grain was going from top to back, not end-pin to neck. This did not impress me all that much...
Thinking about it, though, it might be wise to consider the type of plywood you are using. Thickness is important, as well as the type of wood it is made of, as well as the type of glue it is held together with. If the glue won't stand up to water, you might have a problem. Grain direction might come into play too. Like I say, never done it, so I dunno, but these are things you might want to think about.
As I write this, I am wondering why you are considering plywood anyway? Some of the reso's I make are out of birch (and sound fantatstic!), but I use a birch ply for the tops and backs, and use solid birch for the sides. If your plywood project doesn't work out, let me know. I can set you up with a set of birch sides.
Steve Smith
RedLineResophonics.com
