Bending Torrified Maple

[ArmstrongLutherie]

A forum member mate of mine referred a guy to me. He is looking for some assistance in getting the sides of a couple of guitars bent as he had run into problems and was afraid of breaking more of the expensive wood he had purchased. I was happy to oblige and invited him to visit. It was then that I discovered the wood in question is torrified maple!

It was a busy day so I didn't stop to think about it, but later it occurred to me that bending this stuff could be a challenge and the only torrified wood I had heard about in guitars is necks, fretboards, and soundboards. As I understand it the wood is baked at low temp to remove all moisture then baked at high temp to alter the cellular structure and make it forever stable. To be bendable, it relies on the lignin to soften with heat and allow the cellular structure to deform before locking up again as it cools. Torrification would appear to permanently lock the cellular structure of the wood precluding bendability.

So has anyone in this group ever attempted to bend torrified maple? Did it bend? Was it straightforward or a major P.I.A?

Andrew

[Steve.Toscano]

Hi Andrew.
It doesnt bend at all, well the set we attempted certainly wouldnt.
I had a student buy a uke set to test it out. With every bending method known to man we tryed to bend the sides, CRACK!

[Lillian]

Hi Andrew,
I wonder if a wood softener might help get it done. Here in the States, I can get Supersoft from a marquetry supply house. I don't know if you have something similar there. Might be worth a look around.

https://www.veneersupplies.com/products ... ioner.html

[kiwigeo]

Hi Andrew,
I wonder if a wood softener might help get it done. Here in the States, I can get Supersoft from a marquetry supply house. I don't know if you have something similar there. Might be worth a look around.

https://www.veneersupplies.com/products ... ioner.html

Supersoft is available in Oz....think I got my last bottle from Carbatec. Fabric softener is often a good substitute.