(Beginner question) Burned ribs

[Totolacky]

Hi! I'm a beginner who is trying to make a viola.
I've tried bending the C-bout ribs, but slightly burned a single piece (the right one in the image).

Would this burn be removable by slightly using some sandpaper, or would it remain there?

Do you have any suggestions on how to remove (or take care of) this burn? Or do you recommend re-doing the ribs with another piece of wood?

Thanks a lot in advance :)

[jacobsaunders]

You could use a piece of paper between your rib and the bending iron. That way you would finish up with a bit of burnt paper

[Wood Butcher]

You can try turning the iron down a bit.

Sometimes it can help to use a piece of damp cloth to help with bending, and as an insulator. Not everyone uses moisture though, so if you do, you must leave ample time for any moisture to leave the ribs, before gluing them to the blocks.

[Spelk]

I wouldn't worry too much about that. It'll be reet, as they say in Yorkshire.

[Davide Sora]

1 hour ago, Totolacky said:

Hi! I'm a beginner who is trying to make a viola.
I've tried bending the C-bout ribs, but slightly burned a single piece (the right one in the image).

Would this burn be removable by slightly using some sandpaper, or would it remain there?

Do you have any suggestions on how to remove (or take care of) this burn? Or do you recommend re-doing the ribs with another piece of wood?

Thanks a lot in advance

Leave them as it is and go on with the work, when you finish the outside of the ribs they will most probably disappear, they do not seem like very deep burns. Even if some traces remains, it will only be a tool mark like any other, to testify that the ribs have been bent by hand.

Occasionally these burns are also visible on valuable antique instruments (Strad and others).

[David Burgess]

Before bending ribs, I always hold a cutoff section against the bending iron for at least ten seconds, to see if burn marks appear. Not that burn marks will define good from bad work, so I agree with what Sora has already opined. It's just one of the many steps I take in the quest of producing a high quality product. And unlike some other quality control steps, this one only takes about ten seconds.

[Totolacky]

Wow, thanks for all your great responses! I'll go on with the work, and try out some tips mentioned above when bending the upper/lower bout ribs. :)

[Mike Atkins]

5 hours ago, David Burgess said:

Before bending ribs, I always hold a cutoff section against the bending iron for at least ten seconds, to see if burn marks appear. Not that burn marks will define good from bad work, so I agree with what Sora has already opined. It's just one of the many steps I take in the quest of producing a high quality product. And unlike some other quality control steps, this one only takes about ten seconds.

This is a great tip!

[uncle duke]

So,  I must ask - who else was thinking about the local bbq joint after reading?