Stainless steel for bending sides

Rollie · #1 01-20-2011, 05:34 AM

I'm looking for a source for stainless steel bending slats to aid in side bending.any info is welcome (thickness/size ect...helpful hints) Can anyone direct me to a place to purchase ... Thanks

naccoachbob · #2 01-20-2011, 04:36 PM

Try John Hall at Blues Creek Guitars - google them.
He sells the slats.

Kitchen Guitars · #3 01-20-2011, 05:08 PM

Yep, John's the man! Bluescreekguitars.com

runamuck · #4 01-20-2011, 07:57 PM

I get mine at a local sheet metal shop. You just need to know how to specify exactly what you want.

Jim McCarthy

Rollie · #5 01-21-2011, 03:58 AM

Thanks for the help guys....

martinedwards · #6 01-21-2011, 08:32 AM

yup, go to a luthier supplies website, find what you want and then take those dimensions to a metal fabricator.

he'll be 1/2 the price

or less.

arie · #7 01-21-2011, 09:54 AM

i found that the stainless steel slats i bought from lmi never returned to flat without a fight. they developed kinks and flat spots which showed up on the wood and it was real hard to get good contact with the blanket after bending a couple of pieces. they were 36 "x 6" x .025 and they're a 300 series stainless steel -probably 303 or 304

now granted the guitar in question is a 3/4 slope and has pretty tight waist on it due to the small size so that could have been part of the problem. one might not have the same issues with a fullsize dred.

since then i've bought some spring steel slats which are 36" x 6" .008 and are very flexible. i'll need to keep them clean and dry so as to not stain the wood - i'll probably wrap the sides in something and give it a go.

murrmac123 · #8 01-30-2011, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martinedwards

yup, go to a luthier supplies website, find what you want and then take those dimensions to a metal fabricator.

he'll be 1/2 the price

or less.

I very much doubt it.

Why would a " metal fabricator" have a stock of stainless steel shim ?

runamuck · #9 01-30-2011, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murrmac123

I very much doubt it.

Why would a " metal fabricator" have a stock of stainless steel shim ?

I don't know what you mean by "shim", but the sheet metal fabricator I go to
has stainless in various thicknesses. I've gone to him for several sets of bending
'slats'.

Jim McCarthy

murrmac123 · #10 01-31-2011, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by runamuck

I don't know what you mean by "shim", but the sheet metal fabricator I go to
has stainless in various thicknesses. I've gone to him for several sets of bending
'slats'.

Jim McCarthy

"Shim" is what the trade calls thin metal sheet, be it stainless or high carbon. It is used in engineering to bring workpieces up to level on milling machine tables and surface grinders. They cut pieces off a long roll as required, and "shim" the workpiece up to the required height.

May I ask, Jim, what thickness (and width) your sheet metal fabricator supplied you with ? I am familiar with a few sheet metal fabricators, and none, but none, would have any use for stainless steel of the thickness required for bending slats.

I mean, what would possible use would a sheet metal fabricator have for .010" stainless steel ???

enalnitram · #11 01-31-2011, 12:52 PM

maybe runamuck knows a great big supplier with lots of uses. I know John and like him and have bought stuff from him, but this is much cheaper:

http://www.fastenal.com/web/products...ex?sku=7041515

murrmac123 · #12 01-31-2011, 01:27 PM

That link is for exactly the same material as I have bought, Martin.

The annoying thing of course is that 50" doesn't give enough for two slats so you have to buy more.

I ended up buying a 6 meter roll , and will probably sell off the surplus.

FWIW this shim stock is manufactured in and imported from Germany.

Still interested and eager to hear about Jim's sheet metal supplier ...

enalnitram · #13 01-31-2011, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murrmac123

That link is for exactly the same material as I have bought, Martin.

The annoying thing of course is that 50" doesn't give enough for two slats so you have to buy more.

oops, ok, thanks. I learn sumpin new ever' day!

arie · #14 01-31-2011, 03:40 PM

well, on this side of the pond what one would see a sheet metal supplier for would be either "23" or "24" gauge stainless steel sheet metal. "24" gauge being the more common size readily available. the sheet metal house will use a press brake or power shear to blank off the pieces you need. 2 pieces 36" long by about 6" wide would handle a full sized silicone blanket in a fox style bender.

this stuff here:

http://www.fastenal.com/web/products...ex?sku=7041515

on the other hand can work too. it's shim stock and it's used anywhere one needs precision spacing ie: adjusting bearings, gaps in tooling etc.. This would work only if your bending form was of solid construction with no large "windows" for it to fall into. you'll need to clean it because of the oil that's on it and it's wicked sharp. I'd try something a little thicker like .015 or .020 thick.

thanks for the idea -I should use it myself

murrmac123 · #15 01-31-2011, 03:53 PM

24 gauge is near enough .020"

Is there any builder on the planet who uses .020" thick stainless steel slats in a Fox bender ?

And if there is, then the question would be why, when .010" does the job so much easier ?

EDIT :Uhh, you edited your post before I posted. What happened to the "don't ask for shim stock , 'cos all you will get is foil", bit ?