Ammonia and balsa
 

Need to use ammonia to curve pine wood....Can anybody tell me how can I do it, % of ammonia dilution, temperature and so on...
Thanks in advance
Daniel

Ammonia and balsa
 

100% household ammonia, and soak until the wood feels flexible. If it tends to crack when you bend, soak it some more. Fasten it down into its final shape and let it dry completely. There will be some spring back, so if that is important, one must take it into consideration.

Les

Ammonia and balsa
 

As Les said....but two additional things.

If you can get hold of "100%" ammonia, it is very serious stuff.

As you are also wanting to deform a (comparatively) hardwood the soak is going to take some time.

So, make a "bath" out of a plastic tube (I think that a 1 metre long plastic plan tube with the threaded cap to it could be perfect for the job).

Fill with the ammonia soln, put in the wood, then screw the cap on.

Put it in a cool place (below 15C) until you think the NH3 has done its stuff.

Otherwise as Les has said.

Oh, obviously thicker sections will require more treatment than thinner, so consider laminating as part of the build as well.

Ammonia and balsa
 

Thanks !
I´m building a Clemente Ader Eole 1/2 A size. A very unusual item. Its longeron is a nightmare. But due to its little size I think ammonia will do it ok.
Thanks for advice about ammonia, I´m oenologist and ussually work with dangerous stuff.
Thanks again

Daniel