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The last two sides sets I bent I had a tad trouble on.

My analog thermometer had been varified accurate with in a few degrees F some 3 years ago by a comparison to a high end thermometer we use here at the plant. I had never had a issue to speak of in the past 3 years till some curly walnut bindings a few months back. Then the recently as I said with a set of IRW sides and some African mahogany sides this month.

I started suspecting that the thermometer was off so I forked out for a Honeywell industrial digital like what we use here at work except with out thermostatic shut off relay. I orded it 3 weeks ago and paid for calibration pre shipping.

Well I got it in last night and boy had my Old thermometer gotten out of calibration. It was out by nearly 60 degrees. When my old thermometer read 310F my new just calibrated by Honeywell thermometer read 252F. No wonder I had so much hell with the curly walnut bindings. I have been bending cold for months

I listen for the sizzle, smell for the aromas, feel for the heat, look for the foil puffing up, only because I don't have a thermometer I trust. I guess if I did that with bindings, though, they'd come out looking like a burnt match! I've got one on a stem, like you check the old turkey with, but I don't trust it because I figure that if I slip it between the slats, air can still get all around it and give me a false low.

At least you solved a problem!!

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Brad Tucker

I tend to not take much notice of the turkey thermometer on my rig...after all its really only good when youre bending turkeys.

Yep I am a use my wet finger, listen for the sizzle, look for a hint of steam type guy too.

There is an interesting video of Kim Walker in Gourmet Guitars where he does not use a thermometer either. What's the point if they are not accurate or even consistent.

By the way I am a bit of a gourmet cook and have used a lot of different off-the-shelf thermometers and none that I have found have been accurate either.

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/the ... agodJVmczQ Expensive but they're the only ones that have worked in my book.



I can cook just about any piece of meet by feel except burgers which I chronically over cook or under cook - the thermapen makes it possible.

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http://www.birkonium.com CNC Products for Luthiers
http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

I used a thermometer a few times in 03, and then didn't because I lost it. Between my own sets and sets for others I didn't find any difference in bending or outcome. I use a timer at 6 minutes, which is from time turn on to take off the bender. I do most time at about 1/2 way turn off a minute or two and then back on. One important thing, if using two blankets which I just started doing, but going back to one, as it doesn't make any difference either, is if timer and extra blanket plugged into a multiple unit, when the bell on the timer goes off, turn off or unplug the extra blanket. Not a cool fire as the wood burns up and end up with cocobolo charcoal. That is a story of it's own. Glad never made maple charcoal on the boss's archtops.