I bent sides of the new tenor today, Cocobolo seems to bend very well. Perhaps it is because it is so very oily. It comes out of the bending process looking very black and bad, but it is the boiled out oil that makes it so. A little light sanding and the beauty of the wood is restored.
First I wrap the sides in paper which I then spritz with water until it is soaked.
Next the package is wrapped in aluminum foil and carefully marked for proper placement in the bender
Once place in the bender the heat is turned up to 350 degrees and the bend begins with the waist compression. Then slowly, as the wood allows, the sides are bent down and secured with the spring loaded wooden bars. Then the power is turn off as the bend slowly cools.
, And here is the result, just out of the bender. Looks good, lets unwrap it.
Off with the aluminum foil, and look at this ugly soiled paper. That is the oil that we cooked out of the wood.
The bend was successful, The still warm wood is put into this mold to cool and preserve the bend. Now lets put the other side in.
The second side is now bent and cooling.. The blue gizmo is a voltage regulator and allows me to control the heat a bit.