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Arrrgg! I don't mind making mistakes because I can learn from them. However, I hate making simple mistakes..

I glued the front piece of my ukulele onto the backside of the body (I think). I'm building the StewMac kit and the body is tapered. I think it's the back that gets tapered and the front remains square to the sides.

How can I tell what side is tapered? I've laid the body onto the table and tried to use a square to see what was and wasn't tapered but I'm having a hard time seeing what side is what..

1. Is the front of the ukulele supposed to be on the non-tapered side?
2. How can I tell what side is tapered?
3. I used Tightbond Original Scent, so I can use water/heat to remove it if needed, correct?

thanks a bunch!

the front is non tappered you ban lay the bodu on a table top and if it rocks it is the tapered side.

No need for water take and iron on med high and a seam knife ( flexable pudy knife) carfully heat a spot on the top and lining with the iron and carfull work the puddy knife in the seam. Now work your way around the joint. don't prey the joint. let the heat do the work. it will not take much. you can use tooth picks as shims to keep the seperated seam open behind you as you go. Don't scorch the wood. titebond will release with less heat than you think.

well, it looks like I did glue the top to the wrong side.

I don't know what you ment by 'lay the body on a table top and if it rocks', because both sides have been sanded flat, so it wouldn't rock...?

I'm off to try removing this thing.. thanks for the toothpick trick.

You have a top with the braces glued on, and the rim is done to the point where you're gluing on the top. First mistake just now? I'd say you're doing pretty well on your first!

What Michael said. Original Titebond only needs to get 130°F or so before it lets go. Just go slow. For shimming the separated parts, I used toothpicks too, but ended up raiding the tableware drawer for knives. Glue doesn't stick to them. "I won't hurt 'em, dear, trust me." Also, it helps to have the putty knife blade heated when you first push it in.

You'll be fine.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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ok, the top has been removed. I used an iron that one would use to iron a shirt and a butter knife. worked great!

However, now the top is pretty warped/cupped. I have the braces glue onto it already, one brace is coming off just slightly but the bridge brace is warped with the top piece. bummer. Should I glue a stronger piece on for the bridge brace? or maybe use the iron on the opposite side of the front (so the inside, if it was installed) to try to unwarp it somehow?

also, I did manage to get a small crack, with the grain, that is about an inch long. it's near the bottom of the ukulele. should I just poor some glue into it or......?

thanks again for the great help!

Oh dude, sorry to hear of your troubles. Always mark with tape the top and label it. A crack is not good, but Ill let the experts chime in.

For crack repair if you have a V gouge you can make an exact fit with the v gouge on the crack line, then v gouge a piece of matching wood, glue in place, exact fit. Dry, repeat on bottom. I like ot 'release' the wood tension by drilling a small hole in front of the crack, so it ends the crack, but I don't see thats standard practice.

Not to hijack, but I glued up a redone back, and the top 3 inches is not an even seam. Can I reheat the hide glue on the top 3 inches of the back on low heat, and press it flat, let dry? I am not doing the back over. Its already sanded to thickness

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
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edit: I see you got it

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Brad Tucker

I got the top off but now the top is warped..

thoughts/suggestions?

A uke is such a small to this does not suprise me. a picture of how bad the crac is and how warped the top is woudl help but none the less you could remove the braces clean up the glue residue adn sticker top for a week or so of lay it over night cup side down on a cement flor to draw the cup out. if you cracke the top you worked to quick or did somthing to stress the top. the heat should have been only over the joint and not on the open area of the top. but like I said this is a real small body so every thing is close together and the heat travles fast.

If worst comes to worse make a new top and top bracing.

I'm not making a new top. this one is from the kit so it had the sound hole and purfling ring cut already.

I cracked it because I did move to quickly, with not enough heat, in the wrong location of the top. I was at the end so the end grain just split/cracked. I think had I started at the side, it wouldn't have cracked so easily. once I realized how much heat to use, it came off easily.

I bent the top back the best I could by applying heat with the iron and bending in the opposite direction.

I have re-glued it to the correct side of the body and am waiting for it to dry. I won't have as clean of a glue seam as I did before because the wood isn't as flat as it was, but I think it will be fine.

if the top is still warped I will use a stiffer brace on the inside and see if that pulls the warp out.

live and learn..

This is what I do. I use a heat gun set on low to heat the knife up..works like a charm.