Bending Iron

So I decided to make a bending iron to bend the rosewood bindings. See the photos below. I used 2" diameter black pipe and sanded the black coating off the pipe. I read that is smells nasty when heated if you leave the black on. I put some insulation between the flange and the wood.

I built the frame from scrap pieces of 1X4 material I had in the shop. Pine. Bernzomatic propane torch used for heating element. I put a small baffle in the pipe.






So I tried it out and learned that the Bernzomatic torches are a bitch to keep lit when on their sides. I checked out their website and it explains there that the liquid propane snuffs out the flame. I might have to change to a regulated torch, or change my angle of attack.