Using Stabilized Woods, Storage & Preparation.

Woods that would normally be unsuitable for use in instruments are fortified with resin to create a dense, usable piece that can be machined and sanded like any regular timber.

If you've ever tried to use very soft woods such as Buckeye Burl or Spalted Maple, you would know that they are very difficult to apply finish to as the finishing product will take a long time to build. The pores of stabilized woods are resin filled so a finish layer is easier to build.

Colours can be introduced into the stabilizing process that enhance the natural patterns in the wood and create exciting effects.

The process will not negatively affect the sound. Soft woods can sound dull as they absorb and nullify some frequencies. As the stabilizing process makes these soft woods much denser, sound and vibration are transmitted through the woods more effectively and less frequencies are lost.

Hybrid stabilized wood is stabilized wood where the large voids have been filled with a casting resin to create a solid billet of material that can be easily bookmatched with a band saw.

We recommend using a 2-part epoxy resin as a method of jointing and gluing the bookmatched tops to the instrument body.

Keep the top wrapped in cling film or under weights until ready for use. Although stabilization dramatically reduces the amount of moisture ingress, these are still thin pieces of burl with internal tensions that can move if left unsupported.

Do not stack vertically on a shelf without the cling wrap.

Once laminated to a body blank, there are no issues with stability.

Always use sharp tools for working with stabilized and hybrid wood products.