Post by CTGull on Jun 2, 2020 6:00:05 GMT -5
I bought this, and the bridge version, for $19.99 & $18.99 direct from KEENOVO on eBay. They took over a month to receive. And they come without a plug on the end since they assume you are going to use a controller or add a plug for your country. You can buy the very expensive ($197.18) temperature controller from LMII , buy a controller from KEENOVO for $42.80, or use a dimmer cord as I did. I was told by a luthier I follow on social media that you don't need a controller, just plug it in. I asked for details but he hasn't responded. So I used a dimmer to somewhat control the temperature.
I originally made an aluminum "fingerboard iron" to hold the blanket to the fretboard. But I forgot the blanket has a large bump for the electrical connections. Instead of hacking that up I made a wood block out of a piece of 2x4 with only the 16" radius, then cleared for the connections with the Dremel and a 1/8" burr bit.
I clamped (large spring clamp with plastic tips removed) the heating blanket and wood block to a removed neck and set the dimmer on full. It took 10 minutes for the temp on the bottom of the fretboard to hit 170°, checked with an IR heat gun. I slid the dimmer down until the blanket temp started to decrease, then slid it up until it started to increase. I marked the slide button and dimmer housing for reference. 20 minutes later the temp under the fretboard is 178° near the end of the fretboard and 188° near the dovetail, the temp of the exposed heating blanket (in air) is 225°.
Slid the dimmer up another 1/8”. In 5 minutes the blanket temp is 280°, the temp under the fretboard near the end of the fretboard is 215°, the temp near the dovetail is 225°. The heat doesn’t travel far on the dovetail or fretboard. Only 105° near the 13th fret.
Full on for 5 minutes the blanket temp is 290-300°, 230-240° under the fretboard near the end of the fretboard and 250-260° near the dovetail. The heat doesn’t travel far on the dovetail or fretboard. Only 115° near the 13th fret. I could smell "wood", possibly burning.
Full on for 10 minutes the blanket temp is 290-295°, 230-240° under the fretboard near the end of the fretboard and 255-265° near the dovetail. Only 115° near the 13th fret. The top of the wood block is only 115°. My son came in and said he could smell wood burning. OOPS!
And the temp continues to slowly rise. The whole test was 56 minutes.
The result!! Burnt the fretboard, frets & block!!! Melted the 15th fret dot!! TOO HOT!!!!!
I should have stayed with my original marked setting. But I'm wondering if heat alone is enough to soften hide glue. I don't think so. Hide glue comes in a "crystalline" form and must be mixed with water to soften it. I will do an experiment, putting some hide glue "crystals" on the aluminum fingerboard iron, which will be on top of the heat blanket, on top of the burnt fretboard. I'll monitor the temp with the IR heat gun.
I originally made an aluminum "fingerboard iron" to hold the blanket to the fretboard. But I forgot the blanket has a large bump for the electrical connections. Instead of hacking that up I made a wood block out of a piece of 2x4 with only the 16" radius, then cleared for the connections with the Dremel and a 1/8" burr bit.
I clamped (large spring clamp with plastic tips removed) the heating blanket and wood block to a removed neck and set the dimmer on full. It took 10 minutes for the temp on the bottom of the fretboard to hit 170°, checked with an IR heat gun. I slid the dimmer down until the blanket temp started to decrease, then slid it up until it started to increase. I marked the slide button and dimmer housing for reference. 20 minutes later the temp under the fretboard is 178° near the end of the fretboard and 188° near the dovetail, the temp of the exposed heating blanket (in air) is 225°.
Slid the dimmer up another 1/8”. In 5 minutes the blanket temp is 280°, the temp under the fretboard near the end of the fretboard is 215°, the temp near the dovetail is 225°. The heat doesn’t travel far on the dovetail or fretboard. Only 105° near the 13th fret.
Full on for 5 minutes the blanket temp is 290-300°, 230-240° under the fretboard near the end of the fretboard and 250-260° near the dovetail. The heat doesn’t travel far on the dovetail or fretboard. Only 115° near the 13th fret. I could smell "wood", possibly burning.
Full on for 10 minutes the blanket temp is 290-295°, 230-240° under the fretboard near the end of the fretboard and 255-265° near the dovetail. Only 115° near the 13th fret. The top of the wood block is only 115°. My son came in and said he could smell wood burning. OOPS!
And the temp continues to slowly rise. The whole test was 56 minutes.
The result!! Burnt the fretboard, frets & block!!! Melted the 15th fret dot!! TOO HOT!!!!!
I should have stayed with my original marked setting. But I'm wondering if heat alone is enough to soften hide glue. I don't think so. Hide glue comes in a "crystalline" form and must be mixed with water to soften it. I will do an experiment, putting some hide glue "crystals" on the aluminum fingerboard iron, which will be on top of the heat blanket, on top of the burnt fretboard. I'll monitor the temp with the IR heat gun.
