Veneer softener

Timbuck

Timbuck

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
6,613
Reaction score
1,887
Location
Stockton on Tees..North East UK.
Today is "Side Bending Day" I had 4 soprano sets to bend ..it is the Cuban rosewood that has been giving me a hard time recently... The waist is only a 1 inch radius so I do this on the hot pipe by hand. The first set cracked and was binned..The second set, I took it very carefully and with constant spraying with water I got there in the end but with slight leafing on the inside on one rib which I managed to sand out with a bit of help from CA glue...The third set went better and I managed to to get a set with no defects...The fourth set...I sprayed with this Veneer softener that I bought on Amazon (You can't get Supersoft in the UK)
I left the sotener on for about 45 mins then I wiped it down with a rag to remove surplus and started to bend on the pipe...It went like dream with no problems and I did it in double quick time...This stuff really works:smileybounce:
IMG_4247 by Ken Timms, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
Can't see this on Amazon, Ken, although I see it on another site for about £15. If it works like you say, I might try it. I've some honduras rosewood sides to hand bend which I've been apprehensive about, cos it looks quite dry and brittle. Of course, it might not be but just looks that way.
Thanks for the recommendation, Mike.
 
That is a great product to know about. Never thought to use a softener for this purpose! I would guess that any of the veneer softeners might do the trick.

Another idea for tough bends - use a thin sheet of metal to back up the waist bend (on the outside of the bend). Steam benders use this technique all the time. I bought a small roll of thin aluminum flashing I use for this purpose when steam bending my ribs. I don't see why it wouldn't work with the pipe.

I sure envy your Cuban Mahogany stash. I have some Honduran Mahogany that I guess would be 2nd place to your Cuban! ;-}
 
I've been using a home made softener containing glycerine, alcohol and water for side bending. I'd like to try one of the commercial products but I can't find these in Canada and shipping from the USA is insanely expensive. Have any Canadians here found a source for this stuff in Canada? Has anyone done a comparison between the commercial and home made softeners?
 
eclipsme said:
That is a great product to know about. Never thought to use a softener for this purpose! I would guess that any of the veneer softeners might do the trick.

Another idea for tough bends - use a thin sheet of metal to back up the waist bend (on the outside of the bend). Steam benders use this technique all the time. I bought a small roll of thin aluminum flashing I use for this purpose when steam bending my ribs. I don't see why it wouldn't work with the pipe.

I sure envy your Cuban Mahogany stash. I have some Honduran Mahogany that I guess would be 2nd place to your Cuban! ;-}
Click to expand...
I also use the metal strip method at the waist bend when I bend on the hot pipe..I made this device so that the metal strip automatically holds firm to the bend and my fingers don't get burned...It works really well. :)
IMG_4251 by Ken Timms, on Flickr
 
Timbuck said:
I also use the metal strip method at the waist bend when I bend on the hot pipe..I made this device so that the metal strip automatically holds firm to the bend and my fingers don't get burned...It works really well. :)

Great to see!

Just curious, and maybe more appropriate to a separate thread but what opinions, if any, do you have on steam bending ribs? I learned steam bending on boats so brought that over to my uke building...
Click to expand...
 
So I got some veneer softener because of an upcoming project that I know will be rather difficult to bend. But today I had a set of extrremely curly Australian Blackwood that I've built with quite a bit and I know I have to go careful and slow. Obvious candidate to try the softener out and I'm quite simply amazed at what a difference it made.

I'm pretty sure that I could have had a complete newbie succesfully bend these sides on the iron. Big thumbs up from me.
 
I'm making an Ebony fretboard only .096" thick and it had developed a cross grain curvature making it difficult to press in the frets...So veneer softener to the rescue.. brushed some on the back and clamped hard between two flat surfaces and a couple of hours later it came out as flat as a motorway hedgehog:)
 
Timbuck said:
I'm making an Ebony fretboard only .096" thick and it had developed a cross grain curvature making it difficult to press in the frets...So veneer softener to the rescue.. brushed some on the back and clamped hard between two flat surfaces and a couple of hours later it came out as flat as a motorway hedgehog:)
Click to expand...

What a coincidence! I have had a block of ebony that I purchased years ago, hanging around the shop that I just took off the shelf yesterday, contemplating use as a fretboard. One of the things I thought about was how thick I would make it. My recent ukes all have teak fretboards, which has worked out quite well, but they are considerably thicker than .096" you specify (about 2.4+ mm?).

I am wondering if you are going to bind the fretboard? Also, is .096" thick enough to hold the tang of the fret with enough backing? Seems like it would be a bit problematic, no?

Thanks!
 
eclipsme said:
What a coincidence! I have had a block of ebony that I purchased years ago, hanging around the shop that I just took off the shelf yesterday, contemplating use as a fretboard. One of the things I thought about was how thick I would make it. My recent ukes all have teak fretboards, which has worked out quite well, but they are considerably thicker than .096" you specify (about 2.4+ mm?).

I am wondering if you are going to bind the fretboard? Also, is .096" thick enough to hold the tang of the fret with enough backing? Seems like it would be a bit problematic, no?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I've been doing e'm that thickness for over 10 ten years, Martin Concert ukes are a little thicker at .010" you have to cut the slot depth just right ...Some of the early Martin uke frets are slotted and fitted on the neck due to the longer fret tangs and bar frets used in those days...Ludwig banjo uke ebony fretboards are only.060" thick but those are slotted on the neck also...I think thick fretboards at 5mm+ look more like guitar ones, but thats just me :rolleyes: as a side note..The original early ukes had no fretboards at all and frets went straight into the neck.
 
Last edited:
Timbuck said:
I've been doing e'm that thickness for over 10 ten years, Martin Concert ukes are a little thicker at .010" you have to cut the slot depth just right ...Some of the early Martin uke frets are slotted and fitted on the neck due to the longer fret tangs and bar frets used in those days...Ludwig banjo uke ebony fretboards are only.060" thick but those are slotted on the neck also...I think thick fretboards at 5mm+ look more like guitar ones, but thats just me :rolleyes: as a side note..The original early ukes had no fretboards at all and frets went straight into the neck.
Click to expand...

Hmm... I'll have to up my game to keep from cutting the slots too deep. I am hand cutting them. How do you do it?
 
eclipsme said:
Hmm... I'll have to up my game to keep from cutting the slots too deep. I am hand cutting them. How do you do it?
Click to expand...
On a Proxxon table saw..with a .025" blade ...and an indexing jig I made.
https://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product....VibHtCh22Iwq4EAQYAyABEgIyO_D_BwE#.XVgf8_nTWhA
Before I got the Proxxon saw, I used to do it on a shop built table saw that I made from an old scrapped band saw table and an ancient corded power drill.
Video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzsigK0nIzs
 
Last edited:
Timbuck said:
On a Proxxon table saw..with a .025" blade ...and an indexing jig I made.
https://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product....VibHtCh22Iwq4EAQYAyABEgIyO_D_BwE#.XVgf8_nTWhA
Before I got the Proxxon saw, I used to do it on a shop built table saw that I made from an old scrapped band saw table and an ancient corded power drill.
Video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzsigK0nIzs
Click to expand...

Yea, I can see that the the proxxon would help... a lot.

I will probably need to move to something like your template tool on a table saw as in the youtube video. I hope you don't mind a few questions about it.

In the beginning you tape both ends of the fretboard to the jig but near one end. Then you suddenly slide the fretboard to the opposite end. Huh?

High did you accurately cut the alignment holes in the jig? Just accurate measurement and a drill press?

Also, are you cutting the board with square sides or have you already put in the taper? If the latter, I guess you would need a different jig not only for each scale length but for every nut width/saddle length as well.

What blade are you using?

Thanks for sharing!
 
Once the fretboard is taped Into the jig it does not move but I place a piece of wood on top to hold the fretboard flat to the table...that's what you saw slide along.
I have a special 18 inch vernier gauge that I use to mark out the template, this gauge has needle points instead of the usual caul's that standard vernier gauges have. I then use a toolroom microscope to pin prick punch the holes followed by a larger centre punch..then carefully drill on the drill press...I did work in a tool room in my earlier life.:eek:ld: And yes this jig does cater for tapered fretboards, also it can hold the full neck for cutting the slots after the fretboard is glued on...but I think it will be easier for you slotting none tapered boards to start with.
 
Last edited:
Thank you for that. It helps. I never knew what a prick punch was, but perfectly obvious now.

An 18" vernier would be an excellent tool for this, though not in the budget. I am jealous! And one with needle points? Oh my!
 
eclipsme said:
Thank you for that. It helps. I never knew what a prick punch was, but perfectly obvious now.

An 18" vernier would be an excellent tool for this, though not in the budget. I am jealous! And one with needle points? Oh my!
Click to expand...

Yes it's an unusual gauge and I have not been able to locate another like it.
IMG_4342 by Ken Timms, on Flickr
 
eclipsme said:
Timbuck said:
Yes it's an unusual gauge and I have not been able to locate another like it.

A machinist's delight, I am sure!

BTW - where did you get your fret saw blade from? Thanks.
Click to expand...

I think this thread has drifted away from the original topic quite a bit..But! in answer to your question.

I bought some 4" dia X .025" thick blades (not easy to find) at a bargain price a few years ago on eBay but I had to adapt them to fit the Proxxon ...Stewmack do a 6" X .022" blade to fit the standard table saw, but they are quite expensive :(
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Timbuck
How do I use veneer softener?
Replies
9
Views
764
Michael Smith
Michael Smith
C
Veneer softener
Replies
7
Views
1K
printer2
P
Ukecaster
Solid Veneer, Uncompromising Sound!
Replies
7
Views
292
Kenn2018
Kenn2018
LabRat_3k
Newbie Stewmac Kit: adding upgrades/bling .. peghead veneer thickness?
2 3
Replies
51
Views
2K
Island Jim
I
Ukecaster
Uke with veneer
Replies
15
Views
1K
Joyful Uke
J
Top Bottom