This is my first "prototype" of an idea inspired by Benny Floyd whike at Reelfoot this weekend. Benny described a tool he'd made using two rods welded with a gap between them for bending reeds. The concept stayed in my mind the entire trip home, and by arrival this was the design on which I'd settled. There are 3 rods and 2 gaps... one for a .008 reed and one for a .005 reed. The rods sit in holes milled into some small scrap steel, which I covered with some wood to make it mire comfortable to hold. The first few trials worked well, though (as Benny noted in an email today) a thicker rod may help reduce the risj of tight bends. My next model might be a tabletop or wallmount version, but I really like the pocket size of this. At any rate, I thought I'd share as it may spark an idea for one of you that may be an improvement over it.
