Official Luthiers Forum!

I been doing sound board experiments and have been attaching and removing tops on and off on an existing guitar. I've been using Titebond, but think hide glue may make removal a little easier, especially an very thin tops that are crack prone.
Any tips on using hide glue for attaching the top to the rims. I'm kind of a slow gluer (is that word? misspelled for sure).
Thanks

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

How about fish. When cured its very similar to hide, but you can take all the time you want when gluing. I use fish for everything and I am slow too. I like to spread the glue well and let it soak in the wood a little, then add some more (tryingt o avoid starving) before I attach the pieces, and then wiggle them around etc. and all this would be very hard with hhg (and probably unneeded but oh well)

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Build log

will fish stick to fish?
Thanks

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

Jim my friend a number of OLFers attach top and back plates with HHG but it requires some very good planning, practice, and depending on your method jigs as well.

The trick is to get the viscosity of the glue as such so to permit slightly more open time. JJ does it and will probably weigh-in here, Colin too. Also Spanish classical builders were known to set the guitar on fire to increase the open time........

I have also seen it done where the builder lays the bead, snaps the top that is perfectly fitted into place, and then lowers a caul that covers the entire rim area, not unlike a toilet seat........ and then applies the desired amount of pressure.

Anyway it can be complicated to do well but has been mastered by some of our pals here on the OLF. Using Fish glue is a good idea in my view too and acoustically similar to using HHG.

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Thank for the replies guys.
I think I'll do little sections at time working around the top as Tony suggest and use binding tape to clamp with. This is much different than my usual method, which is actually similar to the Collings photo, only no press, I use a bunch of wing nuts to clamp the foam lined caul down with.

Todd, I can remove the titebond like you suggest, it just seems that hide glue is easier. How hot do you get your spatula? I mean roughly, boiling water type of hot or a lot hotter?

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Fish glue is really quite sticky (you can stretch little "spider webs" easily 2 feet)
Mike Collins gave me some and I have used it on a number of operations. It's nice to have another option. I'd use it for most things, unless production speed is an issue. Takes a number of hours to set. I haven't tried to disassemble it yet...

Btw Hi Jim and Todd!

Hey Todd, could you explain that technique? What is 'flossing' and how do you do that?

Thanks!

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

Another method is to brush HHG on the rim and plate, assemble and then heat a small section with a cloth iron, clamp, heat the next section, clamp and so on.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/