From the StewMac site:
Sounds like roasting, other than making it low-oxygen (which maybe roasting naturally does? not sure). Anyway, looks like StewMac is jumping on the bandwagon, just wondering if anyone knows anything about their "torrefaction" process vs. roasting (either process itself or comparison of results).
Anyone?
Torrefaction: the advantages of vintage wood
One of the great things about a really old instrument is the way the wood has aged over decades. It becomes a little drier and denser, and much more dimensionally stable. And aging darkens the color beautifully. When they can get it, builders love to use wood salvaged from very old buildings, for example.
The qualities of these rare aged woods are successfully recreated by heating wood in a low-oxygen environment using a kiln—a difficult process called Torrefaction. This torrefied wood has the color, dimensional stability and other advantages of those long-aged woods that are so hard to come by.
One of the great things about a really old instrument is the way the wood has aged over decades. It becomes a little drier and denser, and much more dimensionally stable. And aging darkens the color beautifully. When they can get it, builders love to use wood salvaged from very old buildings, for example.
The qualities of these rare aged woods are successfully recreated by heating wood in a low-oxygen environment using a kiln—a difficult process called Torrefaction. This torrefied wood has the color, dimensional stability and other advantages of those long-aged woods that are so hard to come by.
Sounds like roasting, other than making it low-oxygen (which maybe roasting naturally does? not sure). Anyway, looks like StewMac is jumping on the bandwagon, just wondering if anyone knows anything about their "torrefaction" process vs. roasting (either process itself or comparison of results).
Anyone?
