what glue to use

[EricDownunder]

Is hide glue the best to use or would Selleys white glue be OK

[Mark McLean]

Eric
All depends on the application. Selley's white glue is fine for rough woodworking but I don't think it should be used for anything in guitar making. There is only one joint where it might be a good choice and that is in gluing the fingerboard extension down to the soundboard. This is because it is not a pressure loaded joint, and you sometimes want to disassemble it to get the neck off.

The traditional view is that hot hide glue is the adhesive of choice for everything in lutherie. But it is a bit fiddly and grips very fast. IMHO Titebond original is he bees-knees for our game. You can get a spirited debate going between luthiers who favour HHG versus those stuck on Titebond. You won't find many who use anything except one or the other.
Mark

[Paul B]

I use Titebond for some things, hide glue for other things and CA for other jobs still, and then there's epoxy...

Depends on the forces involved in the join. I wouldn't trust any white glue for any job except the fret board extension, but I wouldn't go out and buy some especially for that join.

[ScottC.]

Then there is LMI instrument glue that some use for pretty much the whole guitar.

[Taffy Evans]

Hi Eric, Frank Ford at the "www.Frets.com" web site has a list of glues and their best areas for application in guitar work . I printed and laminated it and have it at hand in the workshop.

[kiwigeo]

My guidelines for glues:

1. if swelling of wood due to water is an issue (eg rosette glue in) I avoid water based glue and use epoxy.
2. if high chance of needing to reverse the joint at some stage I use hide glue.
3. if permanent joint is aim of the exercise then I use Yellow glue or instrument makers glue.

That said I love cooking up things and making huge messes and sticking myself to parts of my workshop so I tend to use hide glue when Yellow glue would probably be a more sensible option.

I must also make mention of the world's strongest glue...its the glue the ATO use. Once they stick themselves to you for not paying your tax youll never get them loose

[P Bill]

You might want to avoid liquid hide glue for anything important. Not recommended by the tax man.

[EricDownunder]

Thank's everyone your response once again was fantastic, I do have all the different glues Titebond in a couple of different grades pearl glue ( but no glue pot yet, I use s saucepan over the stove when the mrs isn't at home) I should get a proper glue pot. I imagine you would only use the yellow glue for large areas as pearl glue has much less working time, I was going to use a superglue for the rosette would I be on the right track.

Thank's again, Eric

[auscab]

Hi Eric,
I have used HHG from a glue pot for a long time with furniture restoration, applying glue with sticks, brushes and knifes, what a messy time it was Then fifteen years back a cabinet maker friend pointed out using a sauce bottle ,the nozzle melted over with just a pin prick for a hole, a big leap forward for ease of use.Then reading through previous posts here I found the super refined luthier version.
The basics of it is , grind glue in coffee grinder, put it in a small glass jar with a little hot water,place that in a larger jar filled with hot water. Glue is ready in ten minutes. Suck it up with a small eye dropper type plastic bottle ,keep that in a bowl of hot water.Any left over goes back in to small jar and goes in to the fridge ,if it's needed in the next few days, three ten second bursts in the micro wave and back in to the small bottle.

[woodrat]

Hi Rob and Eric.....I have found that the smallest size of Vegimite jar makes a great HHG container and I keep it in the fridge as Rob said and use an Avant brand baby bottle warmer to warm it for use ...all very convenient...especially with small volumes that I use. I only really use it on the fingerboard extension these days....Titebond original for everything else....except mistakes where it is usually CA to get me out of trouble.

John

[EricDownunder]

Hi Eric,
I have used HHG from a glue pot for a long time with furniture restoration, applying glue with sticks, brushes and knifes, what a messy time it was Then fifteen years back a cabinet maker friend pointed out using a sauce bottle ,the nozzle melted over with just a pin prick for a hole, a big leap forward for ease of use.Then reading through previous posts here I found the super refined luthier version.
The basics of it is , grind glue in coffee grinder, put it in a small glass jar with a little hot water,place that in a larger jar filled with hot water. Glue is ready in ten minutes. Suck it up with a small eye dropper type plastic bottle ,keep that in a bowl of hot water.Any left over goes back in to small jar and goes in to the fridge ,if it's needed in the next few days, three ten second bursts in the micro wave and back in to the small bottle.

I like that, I allways find it messy stuff but never thaught of putting in a bottle

[Taffy Evans]

What does grinding glue in the coffee grinder do for the Crema on the coffee, if it improve it I'll tell the cafes in town.

[auscab]

People come back half an hour after drinking a coffee and ask " how do I get this stain off my upper lip"?



My son did ask today," What have you been grinding in the grinder, smells strange"?
I'm only buying pre ground now.

[kiwigeo]

People come back half an hour after drinking a coffee and ask " how do I get this stain off my upper lip"?

Or they come back and ask how to get the coffee cup unstuck from their bottom lip

[charangohabsburg]

People come back half an hour after drinking a coffee and ask " how do I get this stain off my upper lip"?

Or they come back and ask how to get the coffee cup unstuck from their bottom lip

Less uncommon than you might believe. Not a real problem though because after a few years the lip will have grown around it...

[rocket]

ssshhht

[auscab]

A few more years of stretching and the lady will get a good job at Stewmac selling radius dishes.

[Taffy Evans]

Hmmmmm, pestle and mortar sounds a better option for grinding maybe.

[Mike Lindstrom]

No mention of fish glue? I love it. Most advantages of hide glue, with long open time. Doesn't clean up as easy as hide, but a warm damp rag does a good job. Needs 12 hours clamp time. I especially love it for binding and kerfing where it gives me more time.

Mike

[woodrat]

People come back half an hour after drinking a coffee and ask " how do I get this stain off my upper lip"?

Or they come back and ask how to get the coffee cup unstuck from their bottom lip

Less uncommon than you might believe. Not a real problem though because after a few years the lip will have grown around it...

It never ceases to amaze me how powerful "fashion" is.....

John