Acoustic Guitar Construction

Ken Cierp - do have any pics/specs for a simmering pan for sides? Is that something I build myself?

This should help I made mine 34" long



Super cheapo version!

Thanks!
Couple of questions. First, the 28 ga. galvinized aluminum - availability? Second, regular solder would work okay, ocould one just fold and crimp the metal? Third - someone recently posted that 200* was about right, and around 90 minutes. Is that your experience as well? Fourth, I read somewhere that dark woods - eir - can lose enough color to not match the back if simmered too long. Is that true? Fifth - would you come over to my place and show me exactly.....wait, that's not really possible ..:-) Sixth - distilled water only?

And an idea I've been toying with - once simmered, place in into a mold that is in a vacuum bag and let it dry under vacuum. Would that eliminate the waviness that might otherwise plague it?

Thanks

Its not aluminum its tin -- I got mine from a roofer, it soldered nicely.

You could use aluminum and fold it like a gift wrapping and not need to solder.

I boiled the crap out of the wood -- guess it would be called simmered? Yes the oil will be pulled out of the material (Rosewood makes a mess) I don't think it changes the color -- some old master builders always boiled their material first, sides and backs to remove oil and resin -- the thinking was the hide glue would stick better.

The bottom line is anything that looks like these tray and is safe to handle will work fine.

I know nothing about vacuum bags -- do they remove the moisture? I am going to be putting the sides on a regular bending machine to dry them out quickly.

When you say you will put them on a bending machine so they will dry more quickly - do you mean put them on a form and let them air dry, or using a blanket and metal slats and like that?

Yes the side is "firmly" pinched to the heated form with the aluminum slat otherwise there will be, in most cases severe cupping.