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Wood Bending Temps
https://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=57657		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  RusRob [ Tue Mar 10, 2026 6:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Wood Bending Temps
Greetings,

I just bought a new bending iron because my old one is.. old. It is also a charcole lighter stuffed inside a piece of 3" stainless steel exhause pipe. It has worked OK but the temp is not very even across the pipe and I always have burned spots.

My new one is a fairly cheap one but it is fairly even in temps and will hold a set temp.

I am trying to put together a chart on temps for different woods so I decided to ask AI

The below chart it gave me is this:

Recommended Bending Temperatures

Wood Type Temperature (°F) Notes

Mahogany-------160-180°F-----Good flexibility and stability when bent.
Maple-------------190-200°F-----Higher temperatures help reduce cracking risk.
Spruce------------160-180°F-----Light but strong; care needed to avoid splits.
Rosewood------- 175-185°F-----Dense and oily; requires careful handling.
Cherry-------------170-190°F-----Moderate bending capabilities; maintain control.
Birch---------------180-200°F-----Similar to maple; often used in layering.
Walnut-------------170-190°F-----Great acoustic properties; handle with care.
Cedar--------------160-175°F-----Softwood that bends easily but can split.

It seems that these temps are quite low. But then I am a newb at bending and have only bent 2 sets and a few practice pieces.
I don't think AI has bent any wood and not sure I should take its advice.

I am wondering what you think about those temps and what you would suggest.
I know this has been asked before but the search engine on this site is not the greatest and most of what I find is related to specific woods.
I also don't know if temps on a side bender would be the same as a bending iron.

It would be nice to put together a list of woods we used and their general temps so people could find it easier.

Thanks
Bob
Author:  RusRob [ Tue Mar 10, 2026 7:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wood Bending Temps
Here is something interesting...

I still had the AI page up so I told it "I think those temps are low"

Here is what it gave me...

"You're correct that bending temperatures can sometimes be higher than previously mentioned. Here’s an updated guide to the optimal bending temperatures suited for various woods used in guitar making."

Optimized Bending Temperatures

Wood Type Temperature (°F) Notes

Mahogany-------200-220°F-------Flexible and bends well with heat.
Maple-------------210-230°F------Best results with higher temperatures.
Spruce-----------190-210°F-------Light and strong; maintain consistency.
Rosewood-------200-220°F------Needs careful handling; dense and oily.
Cherry------------200-220°F------Bends well; watch for cracking.
Birch--------------200-220°F------Excellent for layers; effective at higher temps.
Walnut------------190-210°F-----Good tonal qualities, requires caution.
Cedar-------------180-200°F------Softer and bends easily; susceptible to splits.


Interesting and it seems they are more in line with what I think they should be.

Still looking for some experienced advice... [:Y:]

Thanks
Bob
Author:  meddlingfool [ Tue Mar 10, 2026 9:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wood Bending Temps
280-350 for me…John Hall at Blues Creek has a great tutorial…
Author:  doncaparker [ Tue Mar 10, 2026 9:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wood Bending Temps
I use my bending iron around 350F. I think the AI agent (or whatever we are calling those things these days) is spitting back numbers associated with the use of a Fox bender. It’s a different approach to bending, obviously.
Author:  meddlingfool [ Wed Mar 11, 2026 2:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wood Bending Temps
That’s a good point about pipe vs blanket bender. I’ve bent bindings and rosettes on pipe but never a set of sides.
Author:  Colin North [ Wed Mar 11, 2026 3:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wood Bending Temps
meddlingfool wrote:
280-350 for me…John Hall at Blues Creek has a great tutorial…

Similar for me, in a fox bender.
Author:  doncaparker [ Wed Mar 11, 2026 6:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wood Bending Temps
I know I’m in the minority these days, but I prefer hand bending to the use of Fox benders. Part of my preference is the fact that you get a lot of feedback from the wood while you are hand bending, and you can adjust in an instant. For me, trying to hand bend at too low a temperature is a miserable experience. I’m better off starting high. If I get scorching, I can lower the temperature a bit, add more water, whatever. But at too low a temperature, the wood simply doesn’t want to bend.
Author:  SteveSmith [ Wed Mar 11, 2026 8:32 am ]
Post subject:  Wood Bending Temps
Colin North wrote:
meddlingfool wrote:
280-350 for me…John Hall at Blues Creek has a great tutorial…

Similar for me, in a fox bender.

Me too, I also prefer bending on a pipe.
Author:  Gasawdust [ Wed Mar 11, 2026 9:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wood Bending Temps
Pipe for me too. You can eliminate spring back.
Author:  RusRob [ Wed Mar 11, 2026 9:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wood Bending Temps
Thanks guys,
So for those of you that bend on an iron, From the responses (even those that use a Fox bender) it sounds like you don't have any specific temps for different wood but just start at a high temp and adjust from there?

I was hoping to create a chart I can pin to the wall so I can have a good idea where to start. and I was planning on posting it here so anyone looking for this info could easily find it. I know this topic comes up quite a bit here since I tried searching but most of the results were for specific woods. It would be nice to have them all in one place so when someone askes we can point them to the post with all the temps. Maybe there are too many vairables to do that?

I also prefer doing things by hand, Up until last year when I had a back issue I only used hand planes for everything and prefer to use hand saws when I can. After my back injury my wonderful wife bought me a Supermax 16/32 Drum sander, what a wonderful but dusty machine. I much prefer shavings over dust but it sure is quick ;)

Also,

I am planning on using Fabric Softener as opposed to Supersoft. (I don't see a need to buy something special if I already have something that will work.

Do you use it straight from the bottle or does it get diluted in water? And by how much?

I really apreciate all of your responses and help.

Cheers,
Bob
Author:  meddlingfool [ Wed Mar 11, 2026 10:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wood Bending Temps
I once used super soft when I read on the internet you should use super soft, then I ran out of super soft and never used it again, even on tricky expensive wood.
Author:  Cal Maier [ Wed Mar 11, 2026 11:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Wood Bending Temps
John Hall suggests window cleaner with ammonia. Just spritz the side with it. This is for bending in a fox style bender.
It works great btw.
Author:  doncaparker [ Wed Mar 11, 2026 12:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Wood Bending Temps
Bob—

I can share a few thoughts. These are just my opinions.

I don’t use SuperSoft or ammonia. Just water. It works fine for what I do. I spritz the area of the bend I am working on, rub it in, shake off any excess (I keep a towel on the bench to catch drips), and put it on the pipe. If it dries out too much during the bend, I add water.

I hesitate to say that X temperature is good for bending this species, and Y temperature is good for bending that species. I think wood within each species varies enough that those generalizations don’t help me all that much. I tend to focus on what is happening for the specific piece of wood in my hand, regardless of species. I start pretty hot, and back down from there if it feels like it’s too hot for that piece of wood.

I like to use bending straps (thin steel slats) to support the outside of the bend on tighter bends. This really helps avoid cracking, which is why you would want to use an additive like SuperSoft in the first place. I forego the additive and just support the bend from the outside, keeping my senses engaged during the bend, so I can regulate how hard I try to get the wood to bend. You can feel when the wood has let go enough to bend, and you can also feel when it is not yet ready to bend as much as you want it to. That’s when you pause, add water, regroup, etc.

I’m far from a hand tool purist. I have pretty much every powered gizmo there is for building guitars. But when the old way is better, or more fun, or both, that’s what I do. Bending is that way for me.
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