Acoustic Guitar Construction

I did some grazing around and I inferred that the metal slat that Fox designed into his bender is used to positively (more or less) locate the bend sandwich where it needs to be at the waist. Am I reading it right? Sounds a bit superfluous to me and if I understood the written comments I've bumped into the location feature goes away if we build our molds with an attached metal wrapper on the bending surface.

Am I missing something I need to know?

Thanks very much.

If you don't pre-bend the waist curve you need the spring loaded support system to help prevent cracks at the tight bend --- even at that you will still get cracks, there in is the wisdom of the factory process using the pre-bend step.

Ken, good thing I built a pipe bender using your wiring diagram. Pre-bending waist is under (conceptual) control. Thanks for explaining that feature of the bender. Always thought that pre-bending the waist in itself is a locating/orienting aid.

Seems to me, from the distance of inexperience, that a lot of the work of the metal slat would be done by locating a sturdy spreader in the mold at the apex of the waist curve.

Much obliged.

Always thought that pre-bending the waist in itself is a locating/orienting aid.

No its an anti-self destruct aide -- but precise rim location all through the building process makes life a whole bunch easier.

Seems to me, from the distance of inexperience, that a lot of the work of the metal slat would be done by locating a sturdy spreader in the mold at the apex of the waist curve.

Sorry I don't understand what you are inferring? But if you mean crushing the rim in the building form with a waist clamp, the answer is no -- a properly bent side will snap right into the mold.

Ken, I understood what you mentioned, my reaction was muddled. But everything you offered me made sense. Thanks again.