Official Luthiers Forum!

This is probably another case of me being detached from the real world, but I got some of these https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/tools-by-job/tools-for-gluing/the-glue-looper through the OLF link at Stew Mac, and they're pretty cool. I've always done this kind of thing off of a toothpick or a pipette in the past. Take a look if you haven't already!

Dave

They work great for accurate drop fills in small places, much better than toothpicks or pipettes. I bought some, put one in an Xacto knife handle and have used the same one for years now. I just use a little propane torch to heat it up red hot before I put it up and it's good to go next time.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I haven't seen those before. Do you think they work better than these plastic disposable drop fill toothpicks that they also sell:

https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/tools-by-job/tools-for-gluing/drop-fill-toothpicks

I've used these ones for a long time and have liked them.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

I like the loop tool better than the drop fill toothpicks for getting a small amount of glue placed somewhere but its probably personal preference.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

That looks like a really nifty tool. Wonder if we can find them in the UK. Dave

Kind of a tool taken from micro-bio labs. Called a 'transfer loop' for moving way less than a drop from one culture to another medium. Also similarly, in a bio lab the loop is torched to disinfect.

Get some fine ni-chrome wire, twist a loop the size you want and put a handle on it.

Surprised I haven't done that as I have in a lab and just never thought about it when I want a small amount of finish. With wire you can make your loop any shape you want.

Thanks for the memory refresh!!

Nickel chromium wire just withstands multiple heatings to red hot w/o falling apart. Should be available easily, Amazon has lots, thinnest wire would probably work best and looks like for $6 you can get many lifetimes supply.

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Brian R, Wood Mechanic
N8ZED

Great! Custom drop fill sizes.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQvW_nULD18

here is another way to create a precise way to drop glue

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

A short bit of wound guitar string sometimes does the trick. Available in different sizes.

Good trick!

Dave