Never tried bending myself but watching Jack Rowe do it years ago he said he always bent the wood by hand so he could "feel" the wood. Thought there was way too much risk of breakage if done mechanically. So he did it very similar to you, Chuck. He only used hot oil constantly poured over the stock--sorta messy and risked a fire (not nice).

When an old man dies a library burns to the ground. (Old African proverb)