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Has anyone tried PRO GLUE wood softener? Is it the same as Super Soft 2? Does it work as good for bending? I was thinking on trying it as it's sold near me.Thanks,Mark

Pro Glue VENEER Softener.... what are you doing with veneer that requires a softener?

Dan

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Dan
http://www.acme-archtops.com

Pro Glue VENEER Softener.... what are you doing with veneer that requires a softener?

Dan

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Dan
http://www.acme-archtops.com

Dan my friend I think that what Mark is asking is if Pro Glue Wood Softener is a good substitute for SuperSoft II. Some members use SSII to condition sides, often difficult to bend things with high figure, etc., prior to bending.

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Ann Arbor Guitars

By condition sides, do you mean with a spritz, before the hot pipe or bending machine? Or are we talking soak, here? I think I was peripherally aware of this use, but never followed up a thread I saw. I'm curious about how heavily the stuff gets used, and how the wood dries evenly enough to not cup or twist.

Anyone, what's your technique?

Dan

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Dan
http://www.acme-archtops.com

I haven't used SSII yet Dan so I can't comment on the technique but I wanted to add that this idea is not new and some pro builders including Kim Walker have for years been adding fabric softener to the liquid that they wet down the sides with. The difference is the time that they wait before bending and of course what the active ingredients of SSII and the fabric softener are. I think that SSII users can wait 12 hours or more before bending.

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Ann Arbor Guitars

Thanks.

I understood that fabric softener softened fabric by affecting the static charge, so the fibers repelled each other. Sounds good...But one ingredient is probably a wetting agent - this would get my vote for promoting water penetration.

As for SSII I follow the instructions for veneer, and then let the veneer air-dry for up to 3-4 days, if I'm not ready to use it; still far more flexible after treatment than before, plus it typically dries flattish, maybe a little cup, but still behaves very well. I have to let the veneer dry thoroughly before glueup, because as thin as it is, veneer changes width rapidly and radically, so I was wondering how wood three times as thick handles.

Dan

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Dan
http://www.acme-archtops.com

With SSII you spray the sides semi wet (evenly damp) and wrap in kraft paper and sticker to avoid warping. I let mine set for 2 days then bend pipe or fox style bender. the glycol in the SSII temporarily chemically plasticizes the cells of the wood making it roughly twice as flexible as it would be before hand. Which reduces stress fracturing of the wood cells during bending. Very helpful with curly woods that want to facet in tight bends. The chemical plasticizing wears of in 3-5 days once heated and the wood returns to normal tensile strength.

Veneer aplicators have been using this for along time to flatten warped veneers and to make veneers easy to shape to complex curves. it does not affect gluability at all.

I'm going to use it on highly figured Quilted maple sides.I think the fabric softener might leave residue that might effect some finishs,so i never would consider useing it.So i'm looking for regular supersoft2 or this pro glue stuff woodcraft sells for veneer to lessen problems i might have with bending this maple as Quilted never comes quartersawn and might give me some trouble.I just don't want to take any chances with raising the grain too much.

Thanks, Michael

Do you think the plasticizers penetrate the wood beyond the H2O vehicle, perhaps when the heat comes on? I can see a light spray really travelling through the side if the wood is open-pored, or highly figured - I've seen the spritz bleed through to the other side before I can flip the piece.

Dan

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Dan
http://www.acme-archtops.com

I use my own bender and touch up on pipe when needed.The salespreson at woodcraft said they get good reviews from users on pro glue softener,but he's trying to sell it ,so i thought i'd ask here.So far sounds like super soft2 might be the best way to go.