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I've been using parchment paper as a substitute for waxed paper on applications when joining plates. I prefer it because it seems tougher and wrinkles less than waxed paper.

I was considering using it to wrap my sides as a substitute for craft paper during side bending. Because it is used in cooking, I liked the fact that it was stable at high temperatures. I noticed that water beads rather than soaks in like it does on craft paper. Before going live, I wanted to find out the composition of this paper and in particular, what is used to give it its release properties. To my surprise, I found that they coat this paper with SILICONE!!! I don't know if it is silicone oil or whether it is polymerized...the latter probably being safer.

I've decided to stay with the craft paper for this reason and didn't wish to temp fate. I could just see lacquer peeling off in my future and thought better of using the parchment paper.

Has anyone ever experienced any deleterious effects from using parchment paper?

For now, I'm taking the safer route.

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

Yikes!

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

SILICONE is the Devil for finish, I would not risk it!

I wonder if there is another brand/ type of "organic" parchment
paper out there?

I have also head of using parchment for reinforcing cracks. I have a
Martin 0-28 ca. 1890 in for restoration that has disks of parchment
or thin hide (old skin banjo head?) reinforcing some old top cracks.

Louis

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- Louis Freilicher

Oh No! Not another learning experience!

Silicone is not good of course.

But... there are several discussions in the archives regarding bending with parchment paper.

Here is a topic where Paul Davis (AKA Sprocket) uses it.

And Here is another where Jimmy Caldwell says he uses it.

There are others too I think.

I've tried it on one set and it seemed to be fine, I will have to check the box to see what makes it work.

Tony Karol, I see an archived post at the MIMF where you use parchment paper.Rod True38910.6114351852

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I have used it with no ill effects, but sadly, my experience is limited.

Donovan

I've not had any problems with it, it stands up much better than kraft paper and helps prevent staining where in my experience kraft paper sticks and allows staining. I sand my sides after bending so even if I got a bit of silicone it's gone by the time I'm done...

If there is a safer alternative that prevents staining I'm all ears...

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

NOOOOOOOO!

I had a whole new topic on this a while back.....
parchment paper can leave traces of silicone in the wood which would be a major problem after finishing and in some woods will cause the wood to turn green when bending!

Don't ask me how I know that!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

I used parchment for 4 years - no ill effects. I had to switch to foil as the new srpring steel slats I bought stained thru the paper, not so with foil. Maybe the stuff up here in canada is different, I got mine at Costco. In fact I still use it to line my clamp jig for making purfling lams, headstock plates. No issues.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

[QUOTE=peterm]
parchment paper can leave traces of silicone in the wood which would be a major problem after finishing and in some woods will cause the wood to turn green when bending! [/QUOTE]

I have used parchment in the past and saw no problems.

If the silicone was "in the wood" it would cause problems (with lacquer) during finishing. You would see fisheyes while applying the lacquer as it will not stick to the silicone.

I never saw any discolaration from using parchment paper either. Could have that been from something else?

I have been using Kraft paper lately and like that better for a couple of reasons, but I never had any of the problems described using parchment paper.

I've never used parchment paper and I have still had Koa turn green. I don't
think it is the paper.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Perhaps those who've been lucky with parchment (if it does contain silicone) just removed any superficial silicone in their normal side-prep after bending?

I used to work at a place that made this stuff, it's a different type of silicone that is fully cured, don't sweat it. It's used for food, if there was a problem with residual silicone at normal temperatures, it'd be even worse on a baking tray in the oven. Food would be contaminated with it and the FDA wouldn't allow that.

I've used it a lot on my latest and haven't had any problems with the FP. Seems like pretty good stuff to me.

Don't take me wrong, parchment paper is great as a liner for jigs to prevent wood to stick to the jigs, tables, etc.... but when used with heat, the heat can cause the silicone to impregnate the wood and have secondary affects....

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

The parchment paper I have is called Baker's Select - never used any other kind, and have been finishing with nitro for years. No probs.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

FDA has actually approved silicone oil for ingestion for decades. Anybody ever use DiGel? Anybody ever heard of simethicone? We use it in antacids that not only neutralize stomach acid but the silicone oil component actually breaks up gas bubbles in the stomach and intestine, i.e, Gas-X

In addition, hypodermic needles are coated with silicone oil as are the rubber pistons in the syringes.

I cite these facts only to emphasize that the release properties of parchment paper COULD be due to silicone oil.

The possibility that the silicone on parchment paper is cross-linked (cured) is refreshing since that would render it more stable...just like the molded cross-linked silicone rubber surface of the heating blankets we use on our side benders.

Silicone OIL within the paper's matrix would be a disaster in my opinion!

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

That's interesting JJ, but there's silicone compounds, and then there's silicone compounds. The stuff we were using in paper coating was quite toxic and highly flammable, we'd need gloves/goggles/respirator when handling it. I remember asking the question, if this stuff is so toxic, how can they use it in the food industry? The answer was crosslinking, plus the solvents we used evaporated during the curing stage.