Official Luthiers Forum!

Well the title pretty much sais it all.
I've seen people using some variant of epoxy for gluing the fretboard, and z-poxy seems to be a popular choice for pore filling but haven't heard of anyone using it for gluing the fretboard. Now i've got a couple bottles of the stuff and if it's suitable i'd like to use it for this.

Thanks,

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Frank

If it is an epoxy adhesive use it. If it is an epoxy finishing resin, do not use it.

Steve

As Steve says Z-poxy finishing resin is usually used for pore filling. Its not an adhesive.

I know that the Z-poxy use for pore filling is finishing resin. I don't know if z-poxy has an adhesive epoxy or not. I use this http://www.loctiteproducts.com/products/detail.asp?catid=11&subid=49&plid=876 bought locally. Alot of people use Smiths All Wood Epoxy. You don't want to use the 5 minute stuff, the slower drying stuff is stronger.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

As previously stated don't use a finish epoxy.

I use west systems epoxy 105/205 or 105/206 (this is the slow cure). It is great stuff.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Frank, I found the West Systems epoxy at Rockler. Here's a link:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17392&filter=west%20systems

I'm just about ready to glue up a fingerboard right now. I've never used epoxy for this procedure before. Anyone care to share a quick description of their method? How thick do you spread it on? Do you cover the entire surface? Tape off the truss rod and then pull off the tape before clamping? How do you deal with squeeze out? Etc.

Thanks,

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George :-)

System III T-88 works well too. (Easier for me to get - local Woodcraft carries it.)

I've had some failures with generic Home Depot epoxy, but I think that was me overclamping the joint before I knew better.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

T-88 works extremely well!

I also use it to glue my wooden bindings/purfs on as it has a great working time and after 24 hours to cure...It will NEVER pop off!

Ray

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Guitar Building = Continuous Improvement Process

Finishing resin epoxies such as Zpoxy finishing resin will work adhesively but that is not their main intent. Finishing resins are intended t have a high flow out property to fill the pores of fine fiberglass mesh a leave and smooth level outer film. Odds are that the use of Zpoxy or other such finishing resins would not cause an issue if use to adhere a fretboard if used in moderation. That said you will have one heck of a squeeze out issue on your hands. I have used leftovers form pore fill batches on several occasions over the years to glue up various jigs and such. I have had no failures of those joints. I am not saying it is the best choice. After all it was not designed as an adhesive. I suspect that its sheer strength is on the low side of most epoxies. But a fretboard joint is never in much sheer nor torsion load.

I am not saying to use it. I am saying it will adhere a fretboard to the neck.

the label sais it will laminate wood.

I made a call to the local paint store, and it turns out they carry the west system product line, so west system it'll be.

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Frank

I just got some 1 hour set time clear epoxy that comes in a two section syringe at a woodworking hardware store. Works just fine and was something like $5 and there is plenty left.

Since the OP didnt specify if he has finishing resin or adhesive, I thought I'd point out that Zap makes both.

The word Zpoxy is almost exclusively used to describe finishing resin (at least on these boards), and is rarely discussed as an adhesive, but both products do exist.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WTI0095P?FVSEARCH=zpoxy&search=Go

ZAP Zpoxy Finishing Resin
ZAP Zpoxy 30 Minute Adhesive
ZAP Zpoxy 5 minute Adhesive

Either one of the last two would work for gluing a fretboard, but the 30 minute would obviously be preferable for working time, etc...

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Jim Hansen

I hope one or more of the very experienced luthiers steps up and says you don't need to use epoxy for fretboard gluing, that literally millions of guitars have had their fretboards successfully glued on using water based glue, and that if someone is really concerned about using a water based glue then they could wipe a clean damp rag over the exterior surfaces of the fretboard and neck wood to equalize the introduction of a minuscule amount of water.

I think this (epoxy gluing fingerboards) has become kind of a cult phenomenon. I'm just too junior of a luthier for anyone to take me seriously.

Hey, isn't epoxy curing an exothermic reaction that would heat only one side of the wood?

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia