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Are all side bending heating blankets the same. I have never used one. Have used the lightbulb heat. Trying to get into the 21st century. Any recommendations. What kind of rheostat do people use to control the temperature. What kind of thermometer do you use to check your temperature or do you use one. My universal bending machine is 6 inch wide.

Now that I am 63 years old and heading for semi-retirement, I want to get back into doing some serious building. I have lots of friends and family who can use a guitar.

Thanks in advance for your help.
Ken

They're not all the same. There's various "watts per inch" or something like that. I got my blanket from John Hall (Bluescreek) so I didn't have to worry about getting the right one. I use a router speed control to control temp, and a digital meat thermometer to monitor it.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
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Talk to John Hall AT Blues Creek Guitars.
Tom

I use the one John Hall sells and am happy with it. He supplies a router speed controller with it. I rigged up a programmable temperature controller and a timer on mine but that is not a requirment to get good results.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

John Hall at Blues Creek Guitars has great prices and service. His blankets come with a temp. controller.
I use a cheap oven thermometer from Walmart .
I would suggest that you get a timer- not only can these things turn your expensive wood into charcoal, you can burn your house down.....

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It's not the miles ahead, it's the stone in your shoe


In Markham,Virginia

Correct not all blankets are the same. There are many differnt wattage rating many different types of internal elements some heating blankets can not withstand repeditive cycling but are designed to be always on and a a steady temp. Some are designed to not be flexed. That said stay with blankets sold by luthier suppliers and you will not go wrong.

the big difference between the Heat blankets often are watts per inch. 5 watts per inch is perfect for wood bending. This can handle the thermal loading. 2 watts per inch are too weak and while they will eventually get your hot, often you case harden the wood before it is ready to bend.
The 2nd thing is make up of the blanket. Some are a woven material . I found that poured slicone is the best . It withstands rubbing allows flexing without failing. I have worn out 1 blanket in the last 8 years and that was my proto type . The cord failed not the blanket and we have long since moved the cord.
With that being said , not all blankets are the same . Feel free to contact me if you have any question and I will get you the info you need.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Just to be precise -- is that watts per square inch?

(Yet another engineer, here. We often get anal about measurement units, sorry about that... )

You know I have to look to be sure but I do belive that would be the locical rating as blankets come in various widths and the application is to heat a specific surface area so per sq. inch is the reasonable conclusion.

yes blankets are rated in watts per sq in

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I use one of the 2.5 watt/in^2 blankets from omega.com (6" x 36") and it's worked fine for me so far. I'm a very slow hobbyist, though, so I've only bent 4 or 5 pairs of sides on it in the last few years. I went with the lower wattage because then you can use a regular cheapo dimmer switch from any of your big box stores. It seems to get plenty hot quickly enough. I'm not an expert, though, just stating my experience.

I accidentally ordered mine with the PSA (pressure sensitive adhesive) on one side which I covered with aluminum tape... In hindsight I wish I would have just attached the PSA side straight to one of the steel slats, one less thing to align in the "sandwich."

A timer is a necessity and worth every penny. Even with the timer, I still won't leave the room when the blanket's plugged in.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

I got my blanket with the temp control from Bluescreek, It works great. You won't be disappointed!!!

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Danny Morales

I just bought one from John, as well, and bent a set on my old light bulb bender (using the blanket only) and it works well. I watched John's video on bending, which was helpful.

Fred, would you share your enhancements. A programable temp and timer controller would be cool. I want to add some power cord management additions to my rig, as well.

Danny R. Little

well, I guess to each his own .. I have the 2.5 per and it works just fine for me (about 100 sets, maybe more, plus binding, cutaway pieces etc), even when bending fast ... which I pretty much do all the time now, no matter what the wood is ... we are only talking about 30 seconds difference max when coming up to temp in order to bend ...

not that I am adverse to using the higher wattage one, but this is what I have had for about 5 years now ... and like was mentioned , the 6 buck dimmers work with this.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"