Best plank bending iron isn't made for bending planks

[DaveSchmidt]

This iron is a leftover from my model aircraft days. It's made for the shrink covering on airplanes. The shape of the iron head gives it the ability to fit about any application. What I like most is the built in thermostat so it stays at just the right temperature for bending. 

[MaxC]

Are these still available anywhere Dave?

Max

[Belco]

Yes, you can find similar models in model airplane stores or Amazon.

Try searching for it by: rc plane covering iron

Regards

 

Belco

[MaxC]

Sorry for late response, it's been unusually hectic, but thanks Belco!

[Dave_E]

I have one from my RC plane days in the late 1970’s and it still works! When I was learning the wooden ship building trade and watching the planking videos, that iron came out of deep storage. Then the good wife donated 2 of her backup hair curling irons (large and small diameter) for the cause. 😀

[Dziadeczek]

You can easily adapt an ordinary soldering iron for plank bending (if you have difficulties locating such a specialty tool).

Than yu can build a heat control from a household dimmer (not the digital one!). I learnt this one from my old stained glass class ages ago.

[Charles Green]

Varieties of heating irons shown above are used for dry mounting of artwork and photographs.  Art supply and framing businesses are good sources for them.  

[Belco]

I use a cheap soldering iron (from a German supermarket chain) with an aluminum piece that used to be the center of a rubber roller, I have two of these pieces each a different diameter and it works very well, it rarely burns the wood.

 

It's not sophisticated, but it does the job.

 

Belco

Edited November 17, 2022 by Belco

[modeller_masa]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0834WL2JV/

Here is a one-stop shopping link.  

[David W]

Resurrecting an 'oldie'.

I had to bend a piece of plank today and found an old pencil type soldering iron. While it did the job, it finally got too hot and did a little scorching. While I saw above that a dimmer would cut back on the heat, the iron is really too small. The usual model making plank benders seem to have a poor life span for the money spent.  I then did a bit of 'net wandering and a Conair hair curler popped up. This one: https://www.amazon.com/Conair-Double-Ceramic-Curling-1-inch/dp/B07CKKGR83/ref=sr_1_13?crid=E1XZY2QKEP9O&keywords=conair%2Bhot%2Bcurlers&qid=1673747122&sprefix=conair%2Bhot%2Bcurlers%2B%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-13&th=1

 

Is it hot enough and is the 1" appropriate? Smaller? Larger? They are about 12 bucks at the local Walmart

[mtaylor]

I have one like that.... It works, it's cheap.  What's not to like?   If it dies.. I'll pick up another.  Mine however has the metal barrel and not the ceramic.

[David W]

8 hours ago, mtaylor said:

I have one like that.... It works, it's cheap.  What's not to like?   If it dies.. I'll pick up another.  Mine however has the metal barrel and not the ceramic.

I looks like a trip to WallyWorld is going to happen then (but never on a Sunday!).