Bending iron

Bending irons for guitar making. In the background an inner shape, frames, bending sheet and infrared thermometer

A bending iron is used in instrument making to bend frames (side walls) according to the given shape. Wood can be bent within certain limits under the action of steam / heat. Usually a thin board is moistened and pressed against a hot surface. Since curves are usually desired, the instrument maker chooses an appropriately curved surface. A simple pipe heated with a blowtorch can do this. Today, however, a hollow body is mostly used, which contains several different curves and is electrically heated. A thermostat often switches off the energy supply at 230–250 ° C. A splash of water or, better still, an infrared thermometer shows the instrument maker whether the temperature has been reached. This method with bending iron is only used in craft instrument making, manufacturers and industry use heated compression molds for the bending process.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Using a Bending Iron , accessed November 14, 2018.