| Traditionally, luthiers bent sides around a hot pipe. Here,
a heated aluminum jig is being used. First the hot shoe is used to bend
the sharpest side bend, the waist. |
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| Next, the lower bout is bent. |
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| Followed by the upper bout. Typically, the curves of the
bending jig are slightly exaggerated compared to the actual shape of the
instrument. This is to compensate for 'spring back', the tendency for wood
to remember and try to attain its original shape. |
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| The bent sides are then placed in a jig to hold them while
they cool. |
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