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What's the best method of bending quilted maple on a bending iron? I guess most people would use super soft 2, but that's not available here in the UK. Is there any way of making it yourself? Or any tips for doing it without? I really don't want to mess this up!

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

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I did see a recipe for it recently, but can't recall the exact mix or where I saw it. Just try googling recipes for wood softener and I'll bet you stumble on it. I've never used the stuff but have bent curly maple, it is tricky. You need to have your wood on the dry side as opposed to wet, counterintuitive but too much water will weaken the wood where the grain changes direction,( the characteristics that imbue the figure). Use a hot pipe, hot enough that water dances on it not just sticks and boils. Use a spray bottle to spritz just enough to avoid scorching. Take your time and let the wood relax before you try and bend and have lots of scrap on hand! Good luck!

Peter, PM Collin North about it, i bought SS2 from him before (cheap!) and he might still have some left.

good luck,
Miguel.

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member of the guild of professional dilettantes

Hi. got some SS II if you are interested Peter.
http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10124&t=37632&p=492904&hilit=+super+soft#p492904

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I've done a couple by hand. It bends quite easily. Just spritz with water and keep the heat down to just under the scorching point. Don't try to rush it and you should be OK.

Good Luck,
Danny

I've heard that you can use fabric softener. Here's the query results
search.php?keywords=%22fabric+softener%22&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

I've never bent quilted maple but I have done some Sapele that I thought was evil. After breaking 3 pieces I learned that insufficient heat was my problem.

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

I haven't done quilted maple, but have done flatsawn spalted maple. Insufficient heat was my main problem at first. There's a fine line between bending and scorching.

Also, with any flatsawn wood, I press it flat on the pipe with a block of wood while bending, to keep it from cupping. Ripple/cupping behavior is self-promoting... once it gets started, then only the dips touch the pipe, which causes it to get worse as you progress. Nip it in the bud, and flatsawn woods bend just fine.

A wet paper towel on the pipe can help to conduct heat and prevent over-drying (worked well for the spalted maple). But may give too much steam for figured woods... haven't tried it.

Well thanks to Colin I now have some supersoft. Thanks for the replies guys...

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"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
Pablo Picasso

https://www.facebook.com/FenskeGuitars

Bendin woods eh...

Well...
Fabric softener will assist in pliability but also leaves residue that may affect bonding.

Homemade Softener recipes are glycerin, alcohol, glue and water., in various amts as per personal persuasions.
Here be the most common.
3-4 parts water, 1-2 parts yellow glue, 1-2 parts vegetable glycerin, and 1 part denatured alcohol. ..it's messy, takes it time to dry, and seals wood cells which may affect staining.

Personally other than veneer work, me thinks they are a waist of time and money.
Heat bends wood pure and simple...water = steam and steam is the vehicle to get the heat deeper into the wood and thats about it.

Learn to get the wood to the right temperature and she will move around, and do her serpentine dance for you ~ without water even!


blessings
Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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If it really frustrates you, take the broken sides outside in a fire pit, dump a few teaspoons of potassium permanganate on the wood, and add a few drops of that "supersoft" recipe to the chemical and watch it burst into flames in a few minutes...

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

SS II does seem to help. My only concern is it will leach some color out of the wood. Not as big a problem as a cracked side, but it does happen with rosewoods and mahogany. Not sure how it will affect maple.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust