A lot of good advice so far.
One big thing for me was learning to ignore the "Temperature" on the readout and observe the wood. I was bending too cold and too slowly because I was trying to follow the proscribed temperatures and times...
This is where bending over a hot pipe iron can be so useful - as you have the tactile feedback of the wood becoming flexible in your hands or stiffening up. You pretty quickly figure out that if the wood isn't flexible - it just breaks...
I still use the bending blankets and forms - but now I just run the blanket at 100% and start bending as the wood softens.
Oak, cherry, maple, and hickory are all good learning woods. I love Quartersawn oak as a tonewood and have used it in sides approaching 1/4" thick with no trouble bending.
|