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Please tell me how u use Supersoft.

Thanks,

Mike

Based on reading online, I spray it down well and wrap it lightly in foil to slow evaporation and keep the stuff off my bench and anything else. Let it soak in overnight. Then bend in bender with blanket. Limited experiences, but so for so good.

Mike

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Mike Lindstrom

I lean the wood against a protective backdrop (freezer paper taped to a cabinet with more on the floor), spray both sides liberally and just let it soak in and dry.

I've had good luck with this method but I would be interested to see if anyone has tried this versus spraying and wrapping. I'd like to know if there is a significant advantage to wrapping the wood in foil to slow evaporation?

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I spray a light coat over each side and then put the two sides together in a plastic bag. I let them sit over night and absorb the supersoft. I bend the next day.

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
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House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

I haven't compared it. I just figured if I wanted to soften up the wood, it would be better to have it soak all the way through instead of going away.

Not a big fan of the smell. Does anyone know if I should be doing that in a booth?

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Mike Lindstrom

It's nice to know it has many uses.

Mike

The stuff is 99% DiEthylene Glycol MonoEthyl Ether. It should wet easily and evaporate very slowly which is likely why it works pretty much the same if you wrap up or not.

...not especially dangerous, but I would not recommend putting very much of it in your coffee.

-jd

Hmm. Better wear gloves (and not flavor ur coffee with it). According to Wikipedia: Recent study suggests that occupational exposure to glycol ethers is related to low motile [tadpole] count in men,[2] but the finding has been disputed by others.[3]

really like the stuff in my coffee as well.

It's a floor cleaner AND a desert topping!

So a question. I try very hard to keep material exposure to a minimum (DNA, shellac, epoxy). This stuff is a new substance that appears to integrate with the wood. Does heating it eliminate it? Or does it stay behind?

Mike

it is a high boiling point solvent that will completely evaporate out of the wood over time. Heat from the bender greatly accelerates this.

This family of solvents does have a long history of reproductive damage in both men and women. As always, read the MSDS and decide for yourself. You can also take an additional step and read the MSDS on the active ingredients if that makes you feel better.

-jd

Thanks. I'm done reproducing. I love my kids. But at times I do question my earlier ambitions in that department.

Mike

I'm laminating some sides for a cutaway guitar (Indian rosewood & Alaskan yellow cedar following Bogdanovich's book modified for a cutaway). My plan was to soak with Supersoft, then pre-bend on a hot pipe before putting the veneer slices into my laminating form.

I doubt the Supersoft will interfere with the glue up (Titebond), but thought I'd check. Do you let the pieces dry for a while before gluing?

I always let them dry overnight before I bend.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I've only used it on some ornery Sapele (brittle batch). I followed John Halls procedure Best as I can remember: Spray both sides, let it soak awhile then stack between paper to dry and bend the next day.

The jury's still out on if it helped all that much.

The only problem I saw and haven't seen anyone mention it is it bleached the wood! I had to use a little amber on the sides to bring them back to the color of the back.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

I've experienced some color leaching out of the wood but so far it hasn't been anything I couldn't deal with fairly easily.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Will any veneer softener work or does it have to be Supersoft?