MIMF

Back in the early ninties I bought a dulcimer kit that was discounted as a cosmetic second (the grain on the top is not parallel to the finger board). I started it and then it got side tracked by a myrid of other things (life). So I dug it out of the attic where it had been patiently waiting for me.

To my suprise The sides were still bent properly. I thought they would have straightened out in the attic heat all those years.

So I got to work and finished it off.

Top is spruce, back sides and fingerboard are mahogany. I put on some maple dots on the board.

This was my first acoustic build that had sides the usual thickness and it went better than I thought it would. Makes my want to try bending my own sides and build some more.

I didn't like the piece of wood that was supplied for the end so I used a piece of ebony. And I upgraded the tuners

It's interesting about the sides still being bent - it just adds evidence supporting the theory that bending wood with heat (which I assume was done at the factory where the kit was produced) does not leave the wood under tension once the wood returns to ambient temperature.

By all means try bending your own sides. There are several techniques you can use for heat bending ranging from simple (and less controlled) to complex (more controlled) but all will yield acceptable results with a little practice.

Thanks Jon, I've picked up quite a few ideas here from other's posts and pics of their benders and I plan to get buliding one this summer. I got that itch thats getting hard to ignore <BG>.