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I didn't use the survey topic but you get the point.

In light of Larry's misfortune of gluing his bridge clamping caul to the inside of his guitar I had a question/survey of sorts.

Here is how I attach the clamping caul, than the question/survey.

What I do is use masking tape rolled around the caul back-wards so you have a sticky surface to tape to the bridge plate.

Masking tape will not hold that strong and will easily release from the bridge plate after 1 hour or so.

The question/survey:

How long do you leave the clamp on the bridge? I only leave it on for one hour, but DO NOT do anything else for 24 hours +/-. You don't need to have the clamp on for the full 24 hours, the glue should set up fine within 1 hour and you can take the clamp off (this may also make taking that taped on clamping caul off). I mean, everything else we glue up usually gets about 1 hour of clamp time and than we start working on it right????

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I clamp seriously important (stress bearing) joints according to the maximum bond strength the glue reaches..usually 8-10 hours, or overnight.

There's nothing finer than waking up, rushing downstairs and checking whether the joint has been successful. What a saddo I am.

Less "important" joints, two hours.

Bridges... 24 hrs
Plates... 24 hrs
FB... 24 hrs
Braces...4 hours or 18 holes of golf
Bindings... 2 hours or 9 holes of golf.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Bridges... 24 hrs
Plates... 24 hrs
FB... 24 hrs
Braces...4 hours or 18 holes of golf
Bindings... 2 hours or 9 holes of golf...

A hole in one? Timeless....

Bridges: 24 hours.
Plates: overnight
Fingerboard: overnight
Braces: 4-5 hours

I don't stress any joints for 24 hours (using Titebond Original), and if I don't need the clamps for the next job, I leave all joints for 24 hours.

I'll clamp my bridges for about 8 hours - I don't string up for 24 or better.
braces - 3 hrs.
top and back plates - 8
I guess I'm overly cautious Rod, but it worries me to take off the clamps earlier.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

I clamp everything up for only about 45 minutes. Sometimes I pull the go-bars off of my braces after about 30 minutes. I never have any problems with my joints so far. I don't stress anything for a while. My bridge I leave glued for at least an hour then pull the clamp and caul. I have had one bridge pull off, but it was my finish thickness and not clamping time.
It seems that I am on the low end of things.


Blake

I'm with Blake here. Yesterday I glued on a head plate and with in one hour I had it in the vise truing up the edges. Same with braces, I will leave them in the go-bar-deck for one hour or so. For bridges, I use LMI white and a vacuum clamp. I will clamp for 15 minutes, release and clean up the squeeze out, then clamp again for no more than 45 additional minutes.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

So far, bridges are overnight, plates at least a couple of hours, and braces at least a couple of hours but generally longer, just because I am not in the shop for 8 hrs a day. I just leave it 'til the next day.

I guess I didn't post my clamp times.

I'm at the 1 hr clamp time for everything. I won't stress the bridge for 24 hrs though, but everything else I have at it after 1 hr.

So I'm the same as Lance and Blake.

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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

    I clamp most things for one hour....including bridges. I never put any load
on a joint for at least 24 hours.

     I use vacuum clamping for to and back bracing and bridges and clamp
for about ten minutes, release thm to clen up any squezze out while the glue
is still soft and then reclamp to finish up the hour.

    Everything else is just left under clamp pressure for the hour before
releasing. Most times, things end up staying clamped much longer by the
time I work my way around to taking them out, but the hour is a minimum.

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars

I clamp all the major stressed joints (top, back, bridge, for 24 hours, and don't string up the guitar for 2-3 days after the bridge is glued. I always try to have another project or part of the job to work on, so I'm not sitting around watching the clock.

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

When using titebond I clamp for about an hour. No major stress for 24 hrs. I don't see what clamping longer does for you.

Rod not all of the above respondents say what glue they use. I dunno if that makes a difference or not?

[QUOTE=Anthony Z]   I don't see what clamping longer does for you.

[/QUOTE]

It allows more golf time!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

JJ - makes sense to me