![]() ![]() This was much easier with the center dowel system I used. Cool Down I secured the sides onto the form to dry and cool. After a few seconds on the heat, the bottom side of the wood dries out, so I re-wet the wood then quickly reapply heat to keep the wood bendable. At that point the wood becomes flexible and can bend surprisingly easily with gentle even pressure. I then rock the section back and forth on the iron until it gets very hot through to the opposite side of the wood. ![]() To bend the sides, I first get the section I want to work with wet. Bending the Sides The sides were planed to a thickness of a little less than 1/8th of an inch before bending. It is quick to heat up and holds a steady temperature without too much fuss. This setup worked quite well for my purposes. The propane tank is supported by a loose clamp. It consists of an iron pipe supported by two pieces of angle iron and tied down to a 2x3 with pipe clamps. I used a very basic bending iron setup to steam bend the sides. With a template glued onto the tail block, I was able to shape the tail block. I cut out the form's top profile on the band saw and smoothed it with a drum sander then friction fit the tail block into its recess. This dowel will later be used for securing rubber bands that will hold the sides in place. I also drilled a hole in the center of the form to accept a dowel. This saved a lot of trouble compared with my last mandolin when I forgot this step and had improvise a way to clean up the corners so the tail block would fit. I did this before cutting out the area where the tail block would be held. These holes prevent interference with the corners of the tail block when it is snugly fit into place. ![]() Next I drilled out the corners of the tail block section using 1/4 inch holes. This method works, but it's clumsy to work with and isn't the most stable since the block can bend and therefore let the head block move (although only a little bit.) Cutting It Out I first glued on the paper template I would use to cut out the top profile of the form. This system is definitely a weak point in the form design, but I haven't come up with a better way to hold the head block in place. ![]() Attaching the Head Block I attached the head block with a sturdy 3/4 inch thick block secured with 2 screws in the block and two more in the form. If there is any chance you will make another mandolin of the same design, higher quality plywood is definitely worth it. This made for clean cuts and a better looking form. This type of plywood has many more plies and is a made from denser/ higher quality wood than standard pine plywood. I used 3/4 inch birch plywood for the main body of the form. Form Blank I used an "inside" form design where the bent sides will be attached on the outside of the form using rubber bands. The simple neck to head block joint was made with a tenoning jig on the table saw. Blocks I started by making the maple head and tail blocks that would give the finished mandolin much of its structure and connect the body to the neck. The form is a set of plywood pieces used to hold the bent sides in place later when gluing them to the head and tail blocks. The form is a very important part of making a bent side mandolin even though it won't actually be used in the final instrument. ![]()
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