[dekutree64]

Buy extra. Use the broken ones for practice. Don't expect to get all 4 strips done in one session (some people can do them all at once taped together, but every time I try it, they all start twisting different directions). Wet paper towel on the pipe usually helps with maple.

One nice thing about curly maple is that it's more flexible than most woods, so a bit of clamping pressure will make it conform even if the bend isn't perfect. Super stiff woods like Honduran rosewood and purpleheart have to be bent flawlessly because they won't flex at all afterward, unless you make the binding very thin. 1.5mm curly maple is very friendly. I prefer the look of 2mm or thicker, but thin is an option if you want to make it easier.