Tap tone vid from Kim Walker

Bob Connor · Post by **Bob Connor** » Sun Oct 11, 2009 8:02 pm

youtu.be/

Interesting vid and picks up the tones of the different woods he has on hand quite well.

The Brazilian sounds like it's a nice set. I've heard a lot worse.

I was hoping he'd have some Honduran Rosewood on hand. I reckon some of it rings better than Brazilian.

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 4:53 am

Good video Bob and thanks for posting that one.

I have seen it before and thought that it was pretty interesting then too.

Kim W. also has a segment on him on one of the Gourmet Guitars videos (Rick is featured too) where Kim shows how he bends sides. The video shows him describing the water/moisture that he uses and he indicates that he uses fabric softener too.

I tried this once but could not get the drier sheet to dissolve in the water....

Anyway I have always wondered what fabric softener he uses and what the water/fabric softener ratio is.

Rick Turner · Post by **Rick Turner** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:01 am

I believe the fabric softener of choice is "Downy".

Also go to Joe Woodworker's site and check out SuperSoft II...a veneer softener. I've started to use it to treat difficult to bend woods. So far, so good.

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 5:13 am

Well thank you Rick!!! I can't tell you how many times I have asked other builders about the fabric softener and they look at me with a blank stare. I have Downy here too so I will give it a try.

I have SuperSoft II but have not used it yet. Some folks swear by it.

Bob Connor · Post by **Bob Connor** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:23 am

I've got some Supersoft that I use on figured woods and Mahogany.

Works well.

Also good for bindings that you need to bend into difficult areas. (Like f-holes)

J.F. Custom · Post by **J.F. Custom** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:01 am

I've got some of the Veneer Softener made by Rivergum Timbers here in Australia.

Just tried it out on some highly figured Ring Gidgee in combination with a heat blanket. Worked well. I didn't try anything too extreme bend wise as it's too rare and expensive to have risked breaking first go. However I was able to bend the piece to the contours of an electric body top easily. Unlike if you try to flex it by hand where you can 'feel' it wants to break rather than bend, it felt pliable and bent like many other timbers.

This was my first attempt at bending this timber period, so whether this success was attributable to the veneer softener or just the heat blanket is questionable. My feeling though is that it definitely required both. Bending to the radius of a guitar side however would be another issue altogether and may stretch the friendship with this species... Let alone it's suitability for this purpose.

Cheers,

Jeremy.

Rick Turner · Post by **Rick Turner** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:42 am

Bob, I just used SuperSoft sprayed on the inside of mahogany pineapple uke sides while I sprayed water on the outside. I was a bit concerned about the SuperSoft possibly staining the wood, but no problem, and the mahogany bent easily and held shape beautifully.

Mahogany is actually not a great wood to bend, in spite of how many guitars have been made from it. The Supersoft seemed to make it take and hold shape with less springback than I'd expected.

I'm still going to modify my pineapple uke forms to overbend just a bit; I'd like the remaining springback to result in just the right shape; that will make assembly all that much easier, but I'm sold on the SuperSoft.

Mike Thomas · Post by **Mike Thomas** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:45 am

Rick, could SuperSoft compromise gluing?

Rick Turner · Post by **Rick Turner** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:52 am

Mike, apparently not. It's designed to help flatten warped fancy veneers prior to laminating them to substrates. I've not read of any luthiers having a problem with it, and having just taught a mando/uke course this weekend with two mahogany uke side sets glued up, I can say that there was no evidence of anything problematic.

Maybe this should all go into another thread, though...this is about Kim Walker!

Dominic · Post by **Dominic** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:16 pm

I got a bottle of supersoft when I ordered some vac pump stuff from Joe Woodworker and have used it on a few woods I thought might be difficult just as a precaution. I only spayed it lightly around the waist and upper bout. Not had any problems either bending or gluing. Makes coloured wood like rosewood bleed out if you use too much but does not seem to affect the overall colour. 2 litres will last for ages.
Dom

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Mon Oct 12, 2009 11:57 pm

I thought that SuperSoft was for emergency use if like the TV commercials say when taking Viagra you experience something that lasts more than 4 hours....

Just spritz it with SuperSoft and off you go.....

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Tap tone vid from Kim Walker

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