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I am way too allergic to epoxy to use it for carbon fiber. Is there any other way to glue to braces?

I haven't done it on braces, but I've glued carbon fiber rods in necks using both CA and original Gorilla Glue with good results.

Dave

Also, I have a friend who used to laminate a thin carbon fiber sheet as the middle laminate on necks (looked pretty much like a black veneer like you'd see on old banjos), and he used Titebond. I never saw one fail, but I don't know whether or not he did.

Dave

I think the glue that works might vary depending on the supplier of the carbon fiber. I think the guy at ALLRed told me once that I could use hide glue with his carbon fiber.n So, check with the supplier.

I've use hide glue and it works really well. 192 works but 315 is particularly good as it is super thin and wicks really fast. You can also use hammer veneering technique to set the carbon fiber in place. Super easy and no mess from epoxy or cyanoacrylate.

Elman for laying vy thin strips of cf over my braces. I use fish glue from olde mill shoppe in PA.. Dries very hard . Never used HHG but I have both 192 and 314 g. . I would have to test the difference between fish and hide

Mario Proulx, who used to post about sandwiching carbon fiber composite in braces, used PU glue, though not Gorilla brand. PU glue has worked for me on carbon composite. As far as I know PU glue is generally recognized as a good glue for this purpose, but last time I checked I was not infallible. : D

I have tested fish glue and Titebond with the carbon fiber I have and, while it held, it didn't hold all that well. I think it depends on the carbon fiber composite you have, and perhaps also on what strength you want. I'd suggest you do your own tests.

It's easy enough to test whether glue holds, at least in the short term. If it holds well for a few days it doesn't guarantee that it will hold for years, and some bonds strengthen over time. But if I glue prepare the surfaces properly, clamp well, and the glued parts parts pull apart fairly easily after a couple of days, that tells me it didn't work.

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Tim Allen
"Never hurry, never rest."

Hide glue, and probably fish glue, breaks down over time when exposed to air. I would not use them for a surface laminate, such as Smallman uses, unless you can protect the glue from air. I use hide glue for side tapes, and shellac them; we'll find out in 75 years or so if it works. I don't trust fish glue under high humidity, in any case.

I've mostly heard of PU, but a few use System 3 or other structural epoxy. I think I would use PU unless I was already mixing up a batch of epoxy.

I bought a upright bass fingerboard from Moses Graphite last year and they recommended HHG or fish glue to attach it. Of course we don't have that high of humidity here in Northern CA for long periods like elsewhere.

I dont use clear white poly gorilla glue or epoxy, as it leaves an unsightly mess, when I work with it, A cheap thin artists brush from the dollar store seems to work very well in laying down a nice thick coat of fish glue against the bracing sock.

Unibond 800 is a great laminating glue for wood. Wonder how it would work with Carbon Fiber?

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

CA glue


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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

Terry, I bought some unibond 800 from woodcraft and have used it for a bunch of gluing operations, Call me frugal, but for the operations I used it for ,. The cost outweighs its usefulness. I bought some titebond brown veneer glue and it was just as effective at half the cost of the unibond . IMHO the titebond group of glues are the best bang for the $. I also use hide and fish from ye olde mill shoppe in PA. i have yet to find a ca glue that I like . I/ve tried many of them, My latest foray was starbond and the cap kept getting stuck on the bottle , Total pita to remove. Going back to the cheapies from hobby lobby.

Ernie demonstrates the old truism more luthiers should heed... "Time is money".

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

HAHA chris , wish it was true long hours an low pay . But you are correcto about time vs $$$ senor chris

Don't overlook the necessary prep for CF glue-up...I suspect that some of the failures we have seen have more to do with removal of surface contamination and good prep than the adhesive used.

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For the times they are a changin'

- Bob Dylan

I used my Smith’s All-Wood Epoxy. I don’t think you’d have a reaction to it, but certainly don’t know for sure.


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Can't risk any epoxy.