Official Luthiers Forum!

Oh boy did I make a dumb move. I pressed the hot and malleable plastic
under the end of the fretboard to serve as a custom caul. Wife called me up
to dinner... In a hurry... Came back after dinner...

That stuff STICKS to the wood!

I've been heating a layer, burning my fingers pulling the soften material up,
heating some more, burning some more... I'd guess six hours so far and
there are still some remnants. Mean time there are several new dings around
the soundhole and gouges on the inside

BIG lesson learned.

Ohhhh, I'm sorry to hear that Cameron, that just sucks.

So, do you think that using parchment paper would be a good idea next time? Or something that it won't stick to.

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Cameron,

Sorry that happened to you but thanks for posting. I will be using it myself in a few weeks. Do you think it would have been ok if you removed it sooner? Before it completely cooled?

_________________
Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Or maybe some saran wrap (probably conforms better than paper)?

_________________
Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

Yep
I use saran wrap when I use the stuff.
I assume it is the friendly plastic stuff

_________________
Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

Hesh, StewMac sells Friendly Plastic. I'm sure the bondo and backer does the same job. The nice thing about this plastic is you can use it over and over again and it is quick to use. Unless doing repair work, I'd suggest making the caul before putting the boat together.Don A39053.8822337963

_________________
Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

the first time I saw it's value was when a hand Dr made a cast/splint for my hand and ringer finger injury. It hadn't been available through SM at that point. I immediately saw potential for repair work. It's neat stuff to have

I believe this is the same plastic as Shapelock. If you're makin' big stuff, it's
a little cheaper.

http://shapelock.com/page2.html

Supporting our luthier suppliers is a very good thing though.

there a other products that can do the job, floatation foam from marine suppliers is one i used to use. but the friendly plastic has advantages over any others that i know in that, as was mentioned above, it is reusable, and it involves no odour or harmful vapour releases that i know of.

like just about any molding product though, it is best to use a release agent. when molding on a porous surface, e.g., wood, i use paste wax. works well, and so long as you have sealed the wood with a bit of shellac cleans off well with naphta and causes no subsequent problems with gluing.