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Are there any tips for gluing reverse Kerfing? Particularly keeping it from breaking when installing. I did a dry run to size up the pieces and I broke it a couple times trying to get it to follow the bends. Also, any tips for the actual installation of the Kerfing so not to get glue everywhere!

Thanks,
Scott

Scott,
Two ways that may help you:
1. Lightly spray the reverse kerfing with water. Use your pin clamps and clamp the kerfing to the outside of the side rims with the solid side touching the rims (kerfs face out not touching the rims). The support from the sides help keep them from breaking. Let them completely dry. Remove the dry kerfings and they will fit the inside of the rims nicely without breaking. The disadvantage to this method is that it introduces moisture to the rims which could cause some movement.

2. Lightly spray the reverse kerfings with water and bend them on your bender using steel slats to support both sides of the kerfing. Let dry completely and install/glue on the rims. The advantage of this method is that it does not introduce moisture to the rims.

When I used reverse liners I would always cut and fit them together at key points (mainly on the back where the sides tapered) so that I would get a good clean install. Provided you don't apply too much glue it should squeeze in between the kerfs and not go all over.

A few years back I switched to Kevin Ryan's A4 kerfing and will never go back to reverse or triangle liners.

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Josh House

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I just glued up a couple of rim sets. I heat up my hot pipe. spritz the lining with water and bend it over the pipe, clamp it onto the rim and cut to length. You don't have to bend the waist, just the upper bout and put a gentle curve in the lower bout. The waist takes care of itself. By the time you bend the second lining and clamp it the first is usually ready to glue.

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

I've done it in a similar way, soaking the continuous side of the lining in hot water for a few minutes.
A strip of parcel tape round the outside of the rims might minimize the moisture transfer.

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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.

This is also my approach and find it is a big help. Let them dry over night.......give things a shot with a hair dryer and I have never had a problem with the moisture.
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

I simply wipe the backside with water and glue the other side. I start at the head block and go. If it cracks I just push it together and place a clothes pin clamp over the break. There is a bit of a technique to feeding it in gently to get minimum breakage, lots ot time I get no cracks at all. As long as the cracked pieces were held together tightly a quick bit of sanding on the face of the lining with 220 after the clamps come off and they disappear.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

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Thanks All. Great tips. I was thinking of possibly using some Supersoft, but for whatever reason, I never thought of water! !

Ah, excellent idea, Colin, the tape on the rims to keep the moisture from transferring to the rims will work great. Thanks for the improvement.

After batting about .500 on installing my self made reverse kerf linings without breaks, I've changed up. My latest batch I have left the remaining wood, over the kerf, thicker. I now bend them in my Fox bender. The inside of my boxes are now the cleanest looking they have ever been. I also make them taller and thinner than previous. I'm pretty sure it makes for a much stiffer side. That's good right?

Pretty much what everyone else says about the water, but I mix a solution of water and fabric softener. If I get break I put a thin veneer over it and sand the edges to blend in. Basically disappears.