Michael Collins bends laminated sides

[Dave Bagwill]

Bending highly figured wood - it's not like I can afford to keep a stockpile of bloodwood, ziricote, bubinga etd - I cannot afford to break a side. This way I can safely bend anything I like.

There is no springback once bent.

There will be no splitting of the sides.

Side reinforcements are not necessary.

The sides are stiffer and stronger, so they can do their function better.

[Dave Bagwill]

Eric may have taken some pix in the form, I'll check.
If not, I'll be doing a bubinga set in the next week and I'll be sure to snap a few.

[Dave Bagwill]

I should mention that Brian Burns uses .045, .025 and .025 on his sides, but he builds flamenco and classical guitars only.
Mine ss sides come out around .105 after sanding, not a bad thing from all I've read and heard.

[Tim Benware]

I'll be sure to snap a few.

You are talking about pics and not sides right?:) Your opinion - do you feel they have the same sound quality?

[Dave Bagwill]

Lol - snap a few indeed :-)

Tim, I'm just a very amateur builder. I know that the laminated sides are stronger and stiffer and lighter, and everyone as far as I know considers that to be "better" for sound. Is the sound difference night and day? Of course not. But the consensus seems to be that the accrual of a number of small, improved techniques or procedures add up to a better instrument. I think the laminating is a good solid piece of improvement on my instruments. I'm not fool enough to say it's a better way for everyone. :-)

And then again, maybe it's all a SWAG. :-)

Perhaps it makes no difference at all? Who am I to say??

[ken cierp]

I left the pump on overnight

Does the pump run all the time or is there a gage and mech switch to cycle it off and on?

[Dave Bagwill]

I use a continuous-run system with a vacuum pump, no canisters. I checked with Joewoodworker and the pump is designed for that.