Newc

I use 50/50 water and ammonia that's pretty warm. Then - if it's for something like a turtle deck - I slowly bend the well soaked balsa to shape and drape it over the formers and then weight it down with a wet (very wet and hot) bath towel overnight. This gives constant and consistent weighting along the entire surface instead of in limited areas as one gets with taping. Since you said that you are just getting back into this, remember that the bend must be with the grain, the same way that the balsa will natutrally bend somewhat.