Official Luthiers Forum!

Before relocating from New Zealand to Kenya, I had the opportunity to buy a dynamite set of Blackheart Sassafras and decided I should build an Aussie-theme dreadnought around it. I chose Jarrah for the bindings, fingerboard, bridge and backstrap (the headplate and rosette feature Tiger Myrtle). Jarrah is a Eucalypt from southwestern Australia and has a nice reddish brown colour.

I used my Ibex iron yesterday to bend the backstrap to fit the 1.5" radius "smiley" volute area of my (Queensland maple) neck and had one heck of a time getting it to cooperate. I've never had this much trouble with anything, including ebony. I used water, I tried dry, I thinned it from 0.090" to 0.065", I heated the crap out of it (it does scorch), and it just never wanted to relax. I think I've done a good enough job for the backstrap, but now I'm not looking forward to the bindings.

Maybe it was just this sample? Perhaps bindings will behave better in the bender with a blanket? (but I'll still expect to need to do some tweaking on the iron.) Thank heavens it's a dreadnought, and not an OM with a Venetian cutaway.

Any tips before I get around to the bindings would be really appreciated.

BTW: someone might suggest I post on the ANZLF forum, but that doesn't seem possible from Kenya -- either the ANZLF forum admin or his ISP have blocked access from Kenyan IP addresses, but I know there are several Aussies who frequent this forum as well.

On the same vein, getting my hand on some "Super-Soft 2" might be difficult here (and I've never had need of it before). If necessary, I'll find someone travelling through North America who can act as a "mule", as it appears to be safe for air travel.

Hi Tim,

I think Jarrah might be one of those woods where sometimes it just won't bend. If you check out this thread, I talk about bending some figured Jarrah. It wasn't easy. I tried some from the same stick for a Venetian cutaway - forgetaboutit. I used high heat and a damp, folded paper towel between the wood and the bending iron, no water directly on the wood.

Straight grained stuff should be a lot easier. I've sawn thin strips (~1mm) off planks as clean-up and been able to tie the off-cut in knots, cold. So I'd suggest going as thin as you can, whether for a back strap or binding.

_________________
Trevor Gore, Luthier. Australian hand made acoustic guitars, classical guitars; custom guitar design and build; guitar design instruction.

http://www.goreguitars.com.au

There are quite a few woods out there that individual pieces just decide they plain and simple won't bend...

Had this issue with some Sapele/African Mahogany... Several pieces flopped onto the form, but sides cut from 1 particular board wouldn't bend for love or money....

I have heard plenty of horror stories of Eucalypts in general... but I think it's really more related to the individual board and how it's cut...

For example... I ended up with some miscellaneous "Hardwood floor" flavor of Eucalyptus... I ended up making a Tenor out of it... and it was one of the easiest, most cooperative, fun woods to build with. Side bends were on the easiness level of Oak or plain Maple...

Hopefully, the Jarrah I got from Tim will cooperate when I finally get around to building with it...

Thanks

Thanks, Trevor and John. The backstrap fought back, but seems to have assumed the desired shape and the scorching sanded out ok. I used a piece of jarrah binding today, thinned and split down the middle for rings in the rosette. No dramas there. Next challenge will be the binding round that headstock, but I've taken your suggestions on board.

Thanks again.

Have you tried your Microwave oven for small things? Experiment but usually use defrost setting and takes several nuking's....

You might also try steaming the material.... steam box etc. Here in the states we often use a Shark hand steamer if we seem to have problems with woods not acting right.

Blessings,

Kevin

No, I confess that never crossed my mind. Can't fit sides or binding into the nuke, but a piece for a backstrap would have fit easily fit. Thanks for the idea!

Hi Tim,

I have used Jarrah on several builds and I bend them in my side bender with no problems. I have used both straight and figured. I find that as long as I let it heat up slowly, sandwich between metal sheets and get to temp it goes well. I always bend the waist first, then the large bout then the smaller bout. I soak the bindings for about 10 minutes before bending too. I thin the bindings to 2mm before bending.

Hope that helps.

Martin

_________________
Martin Taylor
http://martintaylorguitars.com.au

Thanks Martin. The feedback I've been getting suggests that the species in general is cooperative when bent, even if this particular backstrap was a mission. Next bending opportunity will be binding the headstock.