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Glue on one part or both parts before clamping?

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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.

I use a thin layer on both parts and use a flat artists brush to apply it. You just want a minimum of squeeze out.

I do the same thing as Bob. A thin layer of glue on both surfaces spread with a brush on most things. I have a silicon roller for large flat surfaces like fretboards.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

One other thing I’ve found that helps with titebond is to use these small dobber sponges. I first saw this in the Greenfield video. Makes a nice even layer of glue and if I accidentally put too much glue on before spreading I can go a little slower with the sponge and it will soak some of it up.

20 PCS Round Sponges Brush Set... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MT3DI7J?re ... b_ap_share


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

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My policy has been glue on both surfaces.... just in case.

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

It depends. If I am gluing up something that I don't mind a lot of squeeze out, I will butter both sides (laminated blocks). If I want to make a neater job of it I may only put glue on one part (gluing the back on - glue only on the linings)
If you are gluing a very porous material (end grain) it doesn't hurt to "size" the material with some glue, let it soak in a few minutes, and then apply a second coat and join the pieces.
Titebond is pretty forgiving and easy to use. Poor technique will often still make joints that stay stuck. When something goes south completely, things can be de-glued using vinegar.
There is a reason cabinet shops use it by the gallon - it is cheap, easy to use, and has a good shelf life that doesn't require strict environmental controls. In most cases the small amount of "cold creep" can be tolerated.

I think you are technically supposed to wet both surfaces. I do not with braces though. Everything else yeah. And with braces you can rub the join together.

I try to use mostly HHG for everything because I need the the practice and for some reason I enjoy the stress it brings on . I’ve always had issues with Titebond being slippery but I did notice when it’s lightly brushed on with an artist type brush it seems to tac quicker. A glue that I’ve used in the shop that’s seems a lot like TB but less slippery is Loctite wood glue. Loctite is a Henkel Company and they makes some quality stuff.

https://www.loctiteproducts.com/en/prod ... dglue.html

I’m too chicken.

So you do wet the soundboard where the brace goes then?

BTW the same would apply for HHG too, wetting both surfaces.

I only wet both sides with the bridge…

I recently saw a Driftwood Guitars video where he uses a very small pinch of salt on top of the glue to prevent slipping. Seemed to work very well. Haven’t had the need to try it yet, but I will.

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Brad Hall
Mystic Dawg Guitars

Try Elmers Carpenter glue.
Quick tact -dries hard unless you use to much.

works great !
mike

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Mike Collins

please don't use water just apply glue both sides that is all you need
do not over clamp either.
you need to allow the glue to soak into the cell make clamps snug and resnug every 10 min

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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

According to Jeff Loflin, glue specialist at Franklin International (maker of Titebond wood glues), salt (and sugar, too, by the way) can react with wood glue and alter its composition, resulting in a weakened joint. Rather than resorting to parlor tricks, apply good gluing and clamping techniques.

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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

The folks who make airplanes out of wood say that the best way to be sure you got glue someplace is to put it there...

I do thin Titebond with about 10% water when making layups for binding and purfling. This helps reduce slipping when you clamp, but I mostly use it to extend the closed time. I use a go-bar deck to clamp these, and I was finding that I had poor adhesion at one end with the full strength glue. It was setting up before I could get all the go-bars on. Now I don't have that problem. 10% added water makes it very runny. Franklin says it won't effect the strength, but I'm not using it on structural stuff anyway.

With HHG I usually use a squeeze bottle and apply a thick bead on just one surface & apply it with light pressure working back and forth to help spread it and get it to tac then I hold in the desired location. Im too chicken to try that with white / yellow glue Im afraid it may not hold.

I did try some rub joints on scraps with the Loctite glue I posted above and it held pretty good. For the bridges they get HHG and the clamping jig overnight radius bracing gets HHG and clamps straight bracing gets the rub joint and I like the tape & tent method for top & back plates with HHG. Been using HHG for everything except binding which gets ca gel, but been thinking of going to a hybrid approach like HHG on everything for the top and Wood Glue for everything on the back. Who knows what I’ll do