Now comes the scary part, bending the wood. A light spritzing of water on the sides and then into the homemade bending form. Maple does not want too much water or the breaks come more readily. The wood sides are set over a bending "heat blanket" a rubber blanket with heat wires just like the electric blanket for your bed only a lot hotter.
 The heat blanket is laid over the concert pinecone body mold, the sides are clamped at the center and the heat is turned on. |  When wood gets to about 250 degrees it kind of cries "uncle" and becomes bendable. You slowly bend the wood over the mold as the heat rises. At about 300 you had better turn it off or you will scorch the wood. Here one side is bent and clamped. |  Now both sides are bent and held in place by the side clamps. I left them in this position until the wood cooled entirely. |  Now the mold is turned over, the heat blanket re-positioned and the critical sharp bends at the uke top are made. Here is where the danger of breakage is highest, but I took the heat up to 300 and the wood cooperated. |
