Stainless Steel Bending Slats

Hippety Hop · Post by **Hippety Hop** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:28 pm

I've got no idea where to get some of that light guage steel.

I envisage having to buy a metre of it at Bunnings, and carry it out playing Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport.

Cheers Hip

Bob Connor · Post by **Bob Connor** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:36 pm

The only place I know of to get stainless of that thickness is from LMI in the States Hip.

I've got a mate here who is a fitter and turner and works for a stainless company but he couldn't get it in the right gauge for me.

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:05 pm

Hey Hip,

My advice, just get ur self 2 x 6" x 36" rolls of .010" blued steel shim stock available from Blackwoods. Blued steel shim stock has less memory than stainless, is cheaper than stainless, more flexible than stainless so it will support a tight bend earlier in the process and, as you will probably be wrapping the wood in paper towel or some other paper product before you add the slat to the sandwich, will not cause rust stains. However if you want some insurance, simply buy some manifold paint from the auto shop (Orange is nice) and give the shim stock a coat with that first.

Cheers

Kim

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:20 pm

Hip buddy mine came from an excellent stateside guitar building supplier - John Hall of Blues Creek. http://www.bluescreekguitars.com

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:31 pm

Listen to Hesh...go with John Hall. I use his blanket along with his stainless and spring steel slats.

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:06 pm

Speaking from the point of view of an Aussie who has had to look hard at this issue because I needed to save a buck yet still end up with quality gear, it should be noted that the cost of shipping alone for slats to come from the USA should just about cover the cost of .010" shim stock (or spring steel if you prefer to call it that) over the counter, right here in AU. As I mentioned above, there is no down side to blued steel over stainless accept by the perception that stainless must some how be better than spring steel simply because it is stainless.

Also, buying a heat blanket direct from MEI, who actually make heaters for most other suppliers in the USA, will be shipped to AU for around the same price that other vendors in the USA will sell the blanket only for, and then you will still need to pay 30 to 40 bucks shipping on top. The other upside to ordering a blanket direct from MEI is that you can chose the options that best suit YOUR needs.

For example you can choose to have an exit tab for the wiring either to the left, right, centre or even middle of the blanket thus protecting the wires from being fouled in YOUR design of bender. Most other suppliers order your blanket with the wires just short stopped at the centre butt of the blanket with no exit tab at all because it cost THEM less this way. Also if you want, for just a few bucks over a standard blanket, you can order an in built thermocouple for digital temperature control of the blanket just in case you decide to get a PID down the track. You can even specify a "J" type or "K" type or what ever type thermocouple turns your PID on...or off. You can select blanket dimensions, wattage PSI, voltage etc, etc, etc and with all the bells and whistles added you will most likely still pay less than anywhere else in the USA.

Just my 2c

Cheers

Kim

Hippety Hop · Post by **Hippety Hop** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:17 am

Thanks fellas. I'll go to Blackwoods in Scoresby. Not far. They even have brass and aluminium shim stock. I've ordered a couple of bandsaw blades from C&S in Mt Waverley, so I can just extend the trip. Probably only be about $20 worth of petrol.

More cheers.
Hip.

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:32 am

Leave the brass and ali Hip, too much memory, the spring steel or blued shim stock is near indestructible and comes in a roll just right for a side bender. It may also pay to call Blackwoods just to make sure they have stock. When I got I had to get it sent down from their main store in WA.

Cheers

Kim

joel · Post by **joel** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:46 am

I've tried stainless (20 thou), aircraft grade aluminium (16.5 thou, can't remember the specific grade, but it's hard!) and titanium (20 thou) slats. If I'd have known about the 10 thou blue steel stuff Kim is talking about I'd have tried that as well. Sounds like good stuff.

Of the three, the aluminium slats work the best for me. They are strong enough to support the wood in the bend, and while they do have some memory they aren't quite strong enough to spring straight and snap the freshly bent sides.

The stainless slats were too strong, and the titanium... well, it is really tough stuff... it is difficult to bend in the form just by itself.

Luckily all of these experiments in side bending slats came from offcuts in the scrap bin at work.

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:58 am

One of the advantages of stainless slats is that they are wimpier in terms of spring back. This means that when you are taking a bent side out of the bender stainless slats are far less likely to spring back to the point of cracking your just bent side.

So what I do is this - my stack looks like this from bottom to top.

1) Stainless slat
2) Wood wrapped in damp (slightly) craft paper
3) Stainless slat
4) Heating blanket
5) Spring steel slat (on the top of the stack to help concentrate the heat of the blanket downward into the wood AND when it's on top it can spring back all it wants and not crack a side.)

The stainless slats do have some memory but I store mine flat and when spring clamped into the stack and supported by the waist caul the memory is not an issue and I have good contact everywhere.

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 11:17 am

I just use aluminium flashing from mitre10. Used the same bits for five guitars so far without a prob, only cost about $10.

Taffy Evans · Post by **Taffy Evans** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:45 pm

Hi
I wasn't going to mention I use aluminium, but I do, and I agree it has a memory. After reading the above I went out to my Fox bender that had the top strap still laying in it on the guitar form. I removed it and it still had a bit of the shape in it. What I do is hang it on a screw above the bench clamp my thumb and fingers on either side of it at the top and pull them down to the other end a couple of times and applying pressure against the slight bends and its straight. I've used this on three sets of rims so far, works fine for me, no staining or other marks. And I like the price, $27.00 from Mitre 10 gets me enough for 4-6 strips.

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 3:58 pm

Yeah, you do have to staighten out the aluminium before bending each side. I also have turnbuckles to pull on the ends of the slats during a bend, which helps I guess.

Light bulbs for heat, and aluminium slats for me, no problem so far.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 4:54 pm

I got myself some stainless. I haven't measured the thickness, but it was the thinest that I could find. It does have a bit a memory. It's not like spring steel,so doesn't want to jump out of the form when the clamps are released, and if I didn't live at the end of the earth, I might be able to find something else that would work better. No blue steel shim stock at Blackwoods or anywhere else for that matter. I couldn't even get alloy flashing from Bunnies or Miter 10 without ordering it in. Sometimes it really sucks living up here.

Hippety Hop · Post by **Hippety Hop** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 5:53 pm

Cost $34.65

I haven't unravelled it yet, but it looks nice and clean like stainless. I'll give it a wipe with my oily rag.

Cheers Hip.

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 7:27 pm

Hey Hip, good deal M8

By the way, I was not kidding about the manifold paint, shim stock works just fine without it but if you want to be bothered it's just a wipe with white spirit to remove any oil, a rub with some 280 wet and dry (used dry) to key in, another wipe with white spirit or acetone to clean up, a squirt of paint or two from the can and then into a flat-out oven for a while when SWMBO steps out so the paint gets bake on as it is meant to.

Oh and Allen, if you need a roll of shim stock I am sure one of the lads on the east coast will send one up, I will gladly do it myself but the postage would be near double from WA. If your stuck though give me ahoy and I will be onto it.

Cheers

Kim

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:41 am

A bit off topic but related and besides I am a flake so I'll ask anyway.

On other forums there is talk from time to time of the slats, both spring steel and stainless, leaving a greenish color on Koa. I have personally experienced this too.

The fix is to wrap your wood in craft paper and not let it contact, directly, the slats or even aluminum foil.

Since Blackwood is related to Koa and you guys live in Blackwood paradise I am wondering if you have ever experienced this greenish color after bending Blackwood?

Thanks!

Bob Connor · Post by **Bob Connor** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:46 am

It certainly does Hesh.

It sands out fairly easily but I've taken to using paper after seeing the first one.

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:34 pm

Thanks Bob!

Chopper · Post by **Chopper** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 2:28 am

I've been using blotting paper, one layer on the inside, two on the outside,wrap the lot in foil for a stain free side. By the way, I'm still using the galvanised sheet steel I temporarily made my slats out of until I could get the proper slats. I've not experienced any problems with them so I guess I wont bother changing them now.
Cheers John

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