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I finally got my hands on some Supersoft thanks to Paul Konrad and bent the Bubinga, I was a little nervous but both the Bass side and the cutaway came out flawless. I will certainly keep Supersoft on hand for problem woods but will not bother using it on the easier to bend woods.

I'm of in a few minuts to spend a weekend with Tony McManus, Al Petteway and Paul Reed Smith at Tony's guitar weekend. ny members near Elora Ontario might enjoy the Saturday night concert see Tony's web site for tickets.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Anyone heard of or used Pro-Glue Veneer Softener, I include a link similar stuff I assume 3/4 way down the page
http://www.turners-retreat.co.uk/acatalog/Veneers.html

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

Fred - I am encouraged by your bubinga bending success. I just scored some lovely quartered bubinga at my local hardwood place and can't wait to start building with it.

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

Great about the bubinga and very cool about your up coming weekend. Looking forward to seeing some pics. Is he going to be trying any of your guitars? If so are you nervous? Let us know how the weekend goes. If only I was a couple thousand km's closer.

Have Fun,
Danny

Fred,

Glad to hear the cutaway side went smoothly, have a good weekend.

Paul

John,
I've been wondering about The Pro-Glue veneer softener too, since it seems impossible to get Super-Soft in the UK. Just looked up the MSDS for both and they're identical, so I assume the compounds must be pretty similar too. Here are links to the data sheets- beyond this I guess you just have to try it and see.

http://www.pro-glue.com/msds_veneer_softner.html
http://www.veneersupplies.com/docs/msds-supersoft.pdf

Cheers,
Bri

I tried a sample of some purpleheart I need to bend with super soft 2. I was discouraged by the amount of sanding needed to remove the staining that it left.Can you tell me what the process you used was. I sprayed both sides of the purpleheart with Supersoft 2, and then wrapped it in kraft paper. I then weighted it under a flat board for a about 3 days to let it dry completely. I wrapped it with fresh kraft paper before bending and bent it in the bender between steel plates with a heating blanket above the top steel plate. There was a lot of dark staining when I removed it from the bender. It sands off, but what a pain! I also was not impressed with the ease of bending, but I have no idea how the purpleheart would have bent without it. Wendy

I sprayed the bubinga when I got home from PaulK's place where I obtained some supersoft at about 10 pm and sprayed the sides and left them laying on the bench. I did the normal spraying with water and wrapping with kraft paper, when I bent the bass side about 10 the next morning. The cutaway side was bent in late afternoon. I had no staining or discoloration and am very happy with the results.

I just got home from my weekend guitar workshop and will glue up the rim tomorrow morning.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

First off if the wood and kraft paper was still wet when you sandwiched it between the flat boards you left nowhere for the the glycol vapor to evaperate to. your staining would likly have been less if you had stickered the wood rather than an inclosed sandwich. Many woodworkers tell you to sandwich veneers when using SuperSoft II to flatten the veneer. In our case the wood is flat to start with. We just need to keep it form curling. Stickering allow for better air flow. The clycol is absorbed into the cell walls really pretty quick. After than point the excess needs to evaporate off. if you sandwich the wraped bords the kraft paper dryes out too slowly and staining is a bigger issue on some woods.

I sprayed SSII on wood standing up vertically, let it drain and get partially dry, then stickered overnight before bending. Haven't done a lot though.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I think that what Michael says above on the allowing the SS2 to air dry before wrapping in paper might be the key to prevent staining. I did a lot of searching for information on bending sides with it and most stated at least overnight to allow t5he SS2 to soak in and do its thing. The stuff sure smells like anti freeze to me.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Actually I wrap in kraft paper as soon as I finish spraying the wood. not so much to hold the SSI in but to wick the excess off. I then sticker or as Steve said I clamp the ends with sping clamps and hang vertially and weight the lower clamp to have traction applied. I found that with most woods if you allw the SSII to dry with good air flow that staininng will not likley happen. the biggest cause of staining is applying heat to the wood while it is wet with SSII. On light and red colored woods this is a big mistake to make as the stain can be more than surface deep. So let the SSII completely evaporate before bending. the wood cells will remain plastisized for up to 5 days after application. I never bend less than 2 day after application and most of the time 3 days after.

How does supersoft compare to a mixture of glycerin and water? I have used this combination for years to flatten unruly veneers. Glycerin can per purchased at most any drugstore.

Ken

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http://www.casperguitar.com

ken i do not know. I do know that SSII also contains Glycerin. I imagin the glycal is used as a carrier and the clycerine as the actual sofening agent. i am not sure if the Glycol is eaiser absorbed thro the wood cells or not but I suspect in a given amount of time that SSII is a bit faster working but that is just a guess for me.