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  #1  
Old 02-18-2010, 01:07 PM
mpaar mpaar is offline
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Default Hair Curling Iron to Bend Sides ! ! !

Ok Guys and Gals,

I am planning to use a Target purchased hair curling iron to bend my sides. It gets hot enough to sizzle drops of water and has 25 settings. All I need to do is mount it securely enough to use. Has anyone tried this themselves? I will be sure to let you know how it goes.

Conair Instant Heat 1-1/4" Iron - CD82JCS. $12.89 at you're local Target store.



Best Regards,
mikeyp

Last edited by mpaar; 02-18-2010 at 01:20 PM. Reason: correct spelling
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  #2  
Old 02-18-2010, 01:21 PM
Coke_zero Coke_zero is offline
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I would worry more about the actual strength of the irons itself. It took a bit of going getting the wood to start bending with a commercial bender on my first ever go, I can see something like that bending or breaking quite easily.

What I hear does work are steam wallpaper removers, I have also seen people use home steam cleaners like you see on all the shopping channels. I saw a video on Youtube of a guy use a steam cleaner, get the whole of the side very hot and then just force it into a mould. Maybe a little bit extreme but it worked very well.
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  #3  
Old 02-18-2010, 02:58 PM
mpaar mpaar is offline
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Default Mounting the Curling Iron

I plan to take the curling iron apart and mount the quite rigid tube and heating element in a wood mount like the expensive irons and find a way to mount the control rheostat so that I can use it also. The cylindrical body of the curling iron that gets hot is actually very stiff and I will even be able to place different shape aluminum covers over the 1-1/4" diameter body if I need to. Like I said, I will keep you posted with my progress.

Mikeyp
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  #4  
Old 02-18-2010, 03:56 PM
Coke_zero Coke_zero is offline
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It will be interesting to see how it works. Good luck!
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  #5  
Old 02-19-2010, 03:25 PM
martinedwards martinedwards is offline
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I've dont eh wallpaper steamer thing and it works great for woods like oak and walnut, but NOT for curly maple!!!

don't ask how I know this!

the hair tongs WILL work.....

but.

because of the small radius you'll only be heating a thin line on the wood at a time and it'll be harder to get a smooth curve and you are MUCH more likely to get facets, like a UK 50p coin.



you COULD try to fit the tongs inside a metal pipe. that way you get the broader heating and because of the greater mass it won't cool as quickly (or heat as quickly, but that isn't so much of a problem)
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  #6  
Old 02-22-2010, 10:21 PM
OC1 OC1 is offline
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I agree, this would be good for bending binding or tight curves, but for sides you need a bigger diameter. Why don't you rather buy a heating element from home depot and stick it in a steel pipe. In the course i was attending all irons were made this way and they worked perfect. In fact better than the stewmac iron I got for myself.
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