Official Luthiers Forum!

For anyone still interested in the merits of Super Soft II for bending difficult woods I have created a new page on my website with some photos of a couple of sides I have bent so far.
http://www.rctonewoods.rcefaluguitars.com/shop_pics.htm

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Bob,
what is super soft II? also, where's my owl head, body of who - wooden plaque?

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Dave it's a carry over from the post at link below. I thought it would get lost in the previous post.

http://luthiersforum.3element.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID= 1407#forumTopBobc38489.5888078704

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

So in the end Bob, do you think the Super Soft II helped? If you still ended up with faceting I wonder if it even made much of a difference.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Brock I think it made a big differance. Remember the bubinga side was flatsawn and I really think it would have cracked or turned out much worse. Also the sapele side bent like butter, no facets and not a hint of cracking. I am going to try a quartered side of waterfall and I have a quilted bubinga side in the bender right now.

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

For a truely scientific study you have to do sides that represent what you intend to ultimately use and then bend one side with the SuperSoft and one without. The two sides should be slices from the same board. This could be expensive if the experiment fails. Actually, it would be expensive if the experiment succeeds in that the untreated board would not bend well. Mike Mahar38489.6629050926

Mike I intend to do just that. I tried the waterfall flat sawn piece because I knew that would be extremely difficult to bend. I am going to try another side from that same board without the Super Soft using my usual method. Same for the sapele.

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Hi Bob,

Thanks for experimenting and sharing your results. I've not heard of the Super Soft method. Is there any problem with glue or finish compatability?

Thanks,
BruceH

Bob...Wow! Thanks for the extra-mile effort in checking out the Super Soft!

For the late comers-- info on Super Soft can be found at veneersupplies.com

Carlton

Thanks for the effort, Bob. You're one-of-a-kind...I know of no other wood supplier that has ever done what you're doing. I'm going to move up the WFB up in my building schedule based on your results. I'll be able to do it in 5 years instead of 10 now!!!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Thnx Bob for your efforts. Based on my paranoia after my episode with the bees wing bubinga I had written off ever doing the WF bubinga Or the Pomele Sapele. Now I may have to put them back on the to build list.

So... let me know when you get some REALLY spectacular stuff in

Well my thanks to all. I think this method has a lot of promise. I still have a lot of experimenting to do like bending some of these woods without the Super Soft and maybe applying more applications on difficult woods. I did touch up the waist on the quilted sapele to get a bit tighter bend. I used my Ibex electric bending iron. Misted with some water and it just gave like butter within 30 sec. I also have left all these sides at .085 to leave a bit more stock for sanding. I have applied 2 coats of Z-Poxy on two of the sides and it looks fantastic.

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

So, would it be out of the question to use this stuff on all bends, "difficult" or not? I mean, it doesn't seem to have any ill effects, and would be cheap insurance? I like to leave my sides at .80 or so to have room to sand...I once went to .75 and it scared me a little in the binding/filling/sanding stages...

Larry

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

bob

how do you think the product would go with ziricote? i'm not far off starting a first use of ziricote and despite steve at colonial and lance assuring me the bending is no problem i'm still apprehensive.

Larry I don't think it would hurt anything. So far I've been using it on a lot of differant woods trying to get a feel for it. Most recently padauk which also bent without any cracking.
Michael I would use it on the Ziricote also. The problem I have seen with ziricote is a tendency to fracture along the grain lines but it does bend well.

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Thanks Bob! That'll be my plan then...I figure I normally screw enough things up along the path from getting the shrink wrap off the wood to stringing one up anyway! Not worrying about breaking that fine ZOOT I got from you will be nice.

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http://www.presnallguitars.com