How long should woods be soaked/wetted before bending

[TonyinNYC]

There are definitely "old timers" who still boil their wood. Wayne Henderson is the first that comes to mind. That is how he learned to bend his sides and so that is how he continues to do it. Doesnt mean it's the only way to do it however.
As Ken mentioned, he boiled his sides for a while and wants to go back to it. I only learned to bend sides in the last couple of years and all of the methods I read did not include boiling. I recently bent a set of cedar sides completely dry but wrapped in foil. I bent some Black Limba that I spritzed with water and wrapped in paper, and curly claro walnut that I wiped with a damp cloth, wrapped in foil and bent. All three methods worked and some woods want to be more dry than others. Bending the cedar dry was an accident. I forgot to wet it before I wrapped it! I was halfway through the bend before I realized it, but it was bending so nicely, I just finished up the bends.
Some people say figured wood needs to be dryer, some say wetter. What does it mean? It means that different techniques work for different people.
If you learned to bend by boiling your wood first, and it worked well for you, then I think you should continue to boil. Sometimes trying a new method that you are not comfortable with can cause you to break a side for no other reason than you were unsure of the new method and thus either rushed, went too slow, not hot enough, etc. The new method might be perfectly sound and have worked for hundreds of others, but it simply isn't for you due to your comfort level with it.
The best advice I can give you is to try to get an orphan side of the same wood you plan to bend, cut it into a couple of strips, and try boiling each strip for 5, 10, and 15 minutes or more and see how each strip bends. Did a longer boil work better? Shorter?
There are a few wood suppliers who sell orphan sides but only one off the top of my head that will let you pick the species. If you know any luthier supply places, you could call them and ask for orphan mahogany and rosewood sides. They are usually under $8 per side.
Are you still in contact with the gentleman who taught you? You could always ask him. Most new builders are going to tell you not to boil, so emailing another luthier will probably net you the same result as my original reply.
Off the top of my head, rosewood is oily so it would probably require a longer boil than mahogany because the oils in the wood will slow the absorption of water. Mahogany can be very easy to bend or a real bear depending on the piece you get. So a difficult piece might need a longer boil. I really don't know!
Test it out and see what works best. Be sure to post your results here so you can help others!

[Dave Bagwill]

There is no 'need' to diss any of the methods, actually - it's just a matter of choice. Boiling works and produces sides with very little spring back, who could complain about that? What counts is the enjoyment of building and producing a good sounding, easy playing, attractive instrument. The end justifies the means, capice?
For me, I'm always ready to listen and learn.

[TonyinNYC]

Who is dissing any methods? There is more than one way to skin a cat! Why anyone would want to skin a cat is beyond me, but there are certainly many ways to do so.
I personally find it distasteful when someone says "this is the best and only way to do this" or the even more ridiculous, "Dovetails are better than bolt on necks because of tone" when absolutely NOBODY could ever hear a difference between either method of connection. Or, it is like debating what wood makes the "best" guitar. To my ears, I like walnut. Never heard a Brazilian rosewood guitar in person, so I can't say I like walnut better than BRW, but I like it a lot. It is also affordable, and there is an almost unlimited supply! Walnut farms all over the country and the world cut down old trees all the time and they are usually put into a chipper! GAHH!!!! What a waste!

[Dave Bagwill]

Re: skinning cats. That has also troubled me Tony. I've never tried it, and I'm worried that if I google it, some fool will have posted a youtube vid on how to do it. I mean, one way to do it :-). Plus then google will have a record of my search and it may come back to bite me in the arse if I ever run for president.
I like walnut a LOT.

[Kevin in California]

I think Walnut is going to be my favorite wood. And I REALLY like the look of the redwood top with it.
I'll tell you in a few months how it sounds together. I want to resaw my own walnut.

Kevin

[dgrand1]

Thank you every one for all your input...sorry it's taken me so long to get back here and post...been busy around the shop and bent up a couple sets of plywood sides to test the methods...just bent up a set of sapelle sides today...boiled for about 10 mins...water was actually simmering,not "boiling"... H2O temp was 198* or so...they bent up nicely...no problems...blanket temp was 300* for 10 mins. then kicked it down to 250* for ten mins until steam stopped...then turned off and let cool on form...no spring back...set sides in holding form on bench...on to bigger and better bends tomorrow...I'll check back and post my results...hopefully they'll be good results also...

[TonyinNYC]

Glad it worked for you! Don't forget to post build pics too!