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Ok, just had my first experience with Lee Valley fish glue when gluing up a laminated neck.
It seemed to work fine as an adhesive although I had to get used to the very quick tack
time), but I ended up with an enormous amount of squeeze-out. I used a brush to spread
the glue, and with the high viscosity, it was too thick. What do other FG users do for
spreading it? I'm thinking a fine notched trowel or notched putty-knife blade might do better?

Any other suggestions?

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

I use my finger for most glue-ups with FG, but have used a putty knife for larger surfaces, seems to work good. Relative to excessive squeeze-out, you'll get the hang of it.

Greg

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Gwaltney Guitars

I recently saw one of the Bogdanovich videos, and he pulls the glue, slightly, away from the edge of the item to be glued, i.e., bridge, linings, etc. This reduces the squeezeout some. However, if you are going to do that, I'd practice it some. It's tricky to get it right so there is glue right at the edge of the joint.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

used up gift cards (the plastic ones) work good for spreading fish glue. Just did it tonight gluing up some neck blocks.

Squeezeout....ya, glue ups are just something you have to do a bunch of to get to know how much glue you need. Squeezeout isn't bad as long as it's not alot.....but not enough isn't good either....

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

The fake credit cards from mail ads are good. I also use stiff-bristle artist brushes about 1/2" wide. It does get better with practice.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I use these to spread fish glue. Once you spread the glue, just set it aside and let whatever glue is on the spreader dry. A couple hours later you can just peel the glue off the spreader and reuse it the next time you're spreading glue. MUCH easier than glue brushes to clean up. I purchased a 4 pack at the local Rockler store and have only used 1 over and over and over so far.

http://www.scolaquip.co.uk/product_deta ... cilliaries

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Bobby Masten

I've tried all sorts of things to evenly spread fish glue, credit cards, and other types of squeegee were OK, but never really satisfactory. By far the best way I have found is to apply with a brush, then spread it out with a rubber roller. These are made especially for applying glue, and result in just the right amount of glue evenly spread on the surface and minimal squeezeout.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Is it possible to heat fish glue somewhat? Would that make it easier to spread more evenly? I have never used it, so I'm just curious.

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Under Compensated Nut!

I use a Speedball hard rubber Brayer for large glue-ups. Most Art Supply stores have them. http://www.dickblick.com/products/speedball-deluxe-hard-rubber-brayers/

I also use a notched plastic hotel key card/gift card for smaller jobs. Put a bolt in a pair of vise grips and heat it with a hair dryer/heat gun/torch. Touch the edge of the card against the hot threads. Instant notched glue applicator.

Thanks for all the replies!

I use credit cards for spreading epoxy glueups, and I'll try it for the fish glue.
Now that I've had some experience with it, it does have a heavier viscosity
than the white glues, and with that fast tack, you want to get it spread
quickly. I'm going to try the notched spreader idea next, seems like a good
way to go. And I'll pick up a couple of the rubber rollers also.

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Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

Neck blank glueups result in a lot of squeezout. Don't worry about it, the stuff is cheap.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.