Mike's Oud Forums

Bending wood

toudfu - 5-29-2006 at 02:16 AM

can anyone elaborate on this. Do I start and heat the wood at the first bend and continue to the next bend or do heat and bend constantly throughout the rib? I seem to get a good curve but also a few flat areas. I am using a hard wood without soaking.

Thanks, Jenny

Jameel - 5-29-2006 at 08:55 AM

It tough to describe, but I usually start at the bottom end, doing the sharpest part of the curve first, heating about a 4" section of rib by sliding it back and forth over the iron a few times, then when it becomes elastic stop sliding and start bending, checking your progress against your template often. When the curve gets close, I move down the rib a bit and heat and bend some more, checking the progress again. You'll also want to slide and bend simultaneously now and then for a smooth curve. You get flat spots when you bend over the iron without sliding a little. Hope this helps.