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interesting ... But you will need a much bigger chamber ......and a lot more Ammonia ....I think its present in urine if you want to continue with D.I.Y chemistry experiments ... you may find an unlimited supply
I wonder if this kind of treatment permanently effects the intrinsic quality of the wood itself , and therefore the sound producing tone ... I see maple was on his list of samples...
I've thought about that for many years. I think the usual industrial process involves using liquid anhydrous ammonia. (The stuff you buy in the store is a dilute solution of ammonia, which is a gas at room temperature, in water.) To make anhydrous (water-free) ammonia a liquid you have to cool it in an ice bath. I think I did that as a chemist once. It comes in a gas cylinder.... I think this would be very difficult and probably dangerous to do on the scale required for bending guitar sides, without a very expensive setup, including a fume hood.
very common Keith about strad soaking his wood in urine an cow sh1t etc ..
about the rest . let it all evaporate in a well ventilated area for a day ...and anyway , so if we loose a few luthiers along the way from time to time .. you know ,.....
This kind of treatment is meant for furniture making, like bending very thick pieces to make chairs and such. I know of violin makers who use this method to bend thicker pieces of spruce and maple to the arch in the tops and backs. It does the job, and makes for some nice looking and sounding instruments. Man is a very clever animal.
At the GAL convention, in South Dakota we watched a demonstration of how it was done, and got to hear the results. Very impressive. Sounded like a good violin should. How great does it have to get< good is good if it does the job.
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