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To tent or Clamp

Guys I'm after a method you use for gluing tops, I'm also familiarising myself with hide glue and I want this to be its first outing, my first guitar I tented using the nail baton method and titebond, the back and sides of my uke were clamped using fish glue, and now I'm not sure which is better as both worked well for me and I don't know if either method is preferred when using hide glue

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

I've tried about four different ways to glue up tops and backs. I'm back to using the tent/tape method as it is easy and fast. I don't use hide glue, but the hide glue users seem to prefer to clamp with tape because of the speed of the tecnique and the short open time for that glue.

Steve

John I use the tape method and love it. What I end up with is a joint that I test with the ends of the plates out side of the guitar's profile and I always break test the joints. The wood always breaks first and not the glue joint. What more could we want? This works great with HHG due to the speed that one can engage the clamping action of the technique or Titebond or LMI white.

The tape method works so very well IMHO that I pitched my Spanish tourniquet jig about a year ago because it was just collecting dust.

Hi guys, is it a hijack if I mention a method that is neither tent or clamp?

I joined 6 tops and backs Saturday, and use hhg, and did them all with rubbed joints and weights. Very fast, and very "equipment frugal" for someone with a small shop.

I hand plane the joints, and try for a perfect joint, and while I cannot admit to perfect, I also can not live with a joint with a visible gap. The rub joint delivers the goods.

I use a flat plywood work board with a "hook", a sheet of wax paper, and two long ebony blocks, to hold the tops down at the glue edge.
The hold-down boards don't have to be specifically ebony, just something heavy enough, but I thought it good to mention mine are ebony, as I enjoy "exotic wood name dropping".<g>

If there is any interest in the "rubbed joint" I will be glad to elaborate on my method.

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I'm interested in all methods please elaborate

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Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

I was going through my mind, comparing my rubbed joint and the tape joint. I could not justify a better method than the tape, it uses even less "stuff" than the rub joint.

The "nail and tent" is very simple also, I just don't like putting nails in my work boards.

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This is how I have been joining my Tops (I am a newbie, and joined about 3 tops this way). So far, I am very satisfied with the results. I use an old Record #5 and get a very tight joint.

Thx!

Glenn

Here is the method that works for me.
I shoot the joint with a #7 plane then while the plates are together I pass the opposite edges over the jointer giving the plates a taper in the width. About 1/4" difference in width between the upper and lower bouts. I then put the unglued halves in the rig and adjust the fence to the taper. Wax paper goes down, a bead of glue goes on, a little side to side rub and then push the plate into the fixture to apply the clamping force. I then install the hold-down which has a dado milled so as not to disturb the glue bead and cause a smear.

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Kent Schoonover

WWW.schoonoverresophonicguitars.com

Its far easier than you might think !! . Forgive me Hesh , But I tried the Tape method, but I think is was hard !! since I could not get the sides to perfectly match. I just did like on the photo, and have done 3 tops 1 back and 1 bookmatched headplate this. as you see I just screw down 2 pieces of MDF or whatever, and tighten in with 2 pieces of wood.
use the wall for the other side.
Lars

Lars and Glenn, I do wedges like that too sometimes, you can do a wedge in the center also.

All you guys must be body-builders, with the weights and all. I use my big belly to hold stuff down.

I've done lots of different ways, but never the "spanish rope and wedge" method. The glue would be cold and hard before I got all that rope wrapped.

I am so pleased with the rubbed joint, it works with titebond too, you should try it.

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