Learn the ways of the wood.
I suggest you make up some expendable pieces and experiment to get a feel for how the wood reacts when you reach the temperature at which it will become pliable. Start with thinner wood, as thin as 5/32" until you start to understand the dynamics involved. Nothing wrong with breaking some wood, just do it on something that doesn't matter. (Do your practice like it does matter, though) I build banjos and the only way you figure out how tight you can tension a head is to break a few. This stuff is the "right of passage" into the world of making musical instruments.
I suggest you learn on a hot pipe so you can interact with the wood.
Keep the wood spritzed with water and rock the wood over the pipe so you introduce heat over a wider area. You'll be able to feel the wood sag over the pipe when it hits that critical temperature.
As the wood bends you can move on to the next area of the bend until your bend matches your form.
A backing strap will keep you from fracturing the bends, but learning how to do it without a strap will teach you a lot more. The hand over the back of the bend is an excellent way of feeling how the heat transfers through the wood. When you can't hold your hand there you've reached bending temperature (if you're fairly tough!)
As stated above, if you aren't at that point where you scorch the wood occasionally then it's not hot enough.
Keep at it, you're almost there!!!
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