Ugly concave in the side

[JonWint]

Originally Posted by viento

I guess that could work.
But I don´t know where to get "The SuperSoft Wood" veneer softener here in Germany...until now I didn´t find it in the market.

https://www.amazon.de/Softlan-Weichs...413213&sr=8-15

[viento]

Hey JonWint, that´s a big surprise!
I hope it works also with wood.
Thanks for this friendly link!!

[kkrell]

Originally Posted by viento

I guess that could work.
But I don´t know where to get "The SuperSoft Wood" veneer softener here in Germany...until now I didn´t find it in the market.

I wouldn't suggest you rush into that unless you get some positive opinions from those who are qualified luthiers or repairers.

Since side bending is usually covered in initial construction, perhaps a post in the board's CUSTOM SHOP forum might be a good place to reach the attention of some of the builders who have had some experience with that product. I didn't come up with the idea from any research of my own, but from having seen discussions involving it on that forum. Surely someone would have an indication if it is suitable and safe to attempt.

[kkrell]

Originally Posted by viento

Hey JonWint, that´s a big surprise!
I hope it works also with wood.
Thanks for this friendly link!!

That link takes me to something that looks like a different item than I was discussing.

Here's a U.S. link (although they ship internationally):
https://www.veneersupplies.com/produ...nditioner.html

I'm not sure who the actual manufacturer is and whether they might have a supplier near you.

[JonWint]

Many discussions of use of fabric softener can be found here: https://www.bing.com/search?q=fabric...d54889ade08066

Not a new concept. You may want to compare SuperSoft ingredients to a product available to you. Best way to do this is by reviewing the MSDS information.

I haven't used it since the wood I bend does fine with water.

[redir]

As a matter of fact I did use Super Soft on the sides that this happened to me and I thought maybe that was actually the reason why it happened. But I reasoned that out since SS2 is only active for a short period of time. Once it dries out the wood goes back to normal... Supposedly.

SS2 is not some sort of miracle type thing, in fact in my experience it barely does anything noticeable.

[printer2]

My German is rudimentary, I take it that is regular fabric softener. I have used it before I got some Supersoft II. The fabric softener does work for bending if mixed about half and half water, a little improvement bending. The SSII is a little better. It will not turn the wood into rubber but it does help enough on problem woods. For the guitar in question I would wet the side and using a caul inside, use a clothes iron on the outside and steam it flat. I have done a side that cupped like that but before the linings were glued on.

[viento]

Your German is allright , it really is regular fabric softener.
I guess I will let the wood like it is by now because I have already glued the kerfed lining.
But - thanks for your description - I will give it a try next time.

[ruby50]

On my last 3 I have used window cleaner with ammonia (specifically, Windex with Ammonia D, but there are generics). I got very clean and flat bends on a hot pipe with Ash, Cypress, and Maple.

[viento]

Thank you for your information!
With my two first builds I have used East Indian Rosewood
and had no problems bending them.

> I could have found the culprit for these irregularities:

When I had bent the second side I noticed that the wood grain
run opposite to the first one. So I bent this "false" side back again
carefully to fit the first one´s grain. I was astonished that this wood
followed my efforts without splintering.

[phavriluk]

I have little (built four from scratch) experience in side bending, but what I have seen is the wood will do what it wants many times and there is no predictability about the results of bending. I've had severe cupping on two and really flat sides on another two. The wood species were different, and during an exchange of conversations with the wood vendor, he allowed as how he wouldn't be selling any more of the wood that cupped on me, it seems to happen routinely. And the next time, different wood, same tooling, sides turned out wonderfully. Trick is to inspect the sides before too much building is done and discard the miscreants before continuing to wrestle with them. Like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates.