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What’s the latest thinking on best glue and practices for torrefied red spruce and braces? Also wondering what thickness folks are using as a starting point for their torrefied tops? Seems like torrefied has been around long enough that there’s a bunch of experience with it out there.
Thanks,
David

I don't see why we'd glue it any differently. It's not like baking a piece of wood turns it into another species that's somehow resistant to gluing.

I’ve read various reports that torrefied wood is more demanding to glue since the cellular structure has been changed. Seems like many early adopters had glue failures.

I was worried about that also. Torrified wood is supposed to act like old, seasoned wood. I do know that the pine and fir in 100 year old houses is quite hard, even to the point to where driving a nail into it can be difficult.

But, I have just finished three torrified sitka tops from StewMac with no problems. I just made sure I had freshly prepared joints and I glued with titebond as usual. Time will tell.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Either they don't know how to get good glue joints or they're just pissing on torrefaction because it's something they haven't used before. Alot of the time things like this are a self fulfilling prophecy.

Good woodworking practice eliminates alot of the supposed "issues" that folks seem to seek out on the internet.

Fish Glue.

Mike

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Mike Collins

the only thing I do differently is to allow a bit more clamping time. Been using this for years and really like it.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I use Old Brown Glue for both the center joint and to glue the braces on the torrefied tops I've done.

I don't even heat it up any more. I use it straight out of the bottle. I let it dry overnight and then it's good to go.

Torrefied wood does not absorb moisure as readily. This is the reason it is more stable. Since wood glues cure when the water in the glue is absorbed into the wood, it makes sense to allow more clamping time when gluing torrefied wood.
I have no experience with using torrefied wood, but I just got 100 red spruce tops back from the kiln. It is lighter and stiffer.

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John

As mentioned, just clamp it longer. Titebond and hide glue both work well. 25+ torrefied top guitars without a problem...touch wood.

We baked our sole bottle of Titebond at 375 degrees (after filling the air space with a nitrogen/argon mix) for 96 hours...we now have torrified wood glue to use with our torrified brace and top wood.

Problem solved!

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For the times they are a changin'

- Bob Dylan

- Good one Woodie!

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

To clarify the concepts about torrefied wood and moisture, torrefied wood does not absorb *atmospheric* moisture as readily.

If you wipe a piece of torrefied wood with a damp rag, it will still get wet and the moisture will still soak into the wood, but it won't warp the wood.

My mentor taught me that Fish Glue was best for torrified tops... it’s what I use


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"We baked our sole bottle of Titebond at 375 degrees (after filling the air space with a nitrogen/argon mix) for 96 hours...we now have torrified wood glue to use with our torrified brace and top wood.

Problem solved!"

That sounds half baked!....... you should have done it for 192 hours......