Mando builder-info, daily stuff, accomplishments

[Paul Hostetter]

If I was facing doing hide glue for the first time for joining backs, I'd do one, not twenty. The main difference (since we know both adhesives work quite well) is that you need to move fast and use clamps on a Titebond joint, and with hot hide glue, you move fast, rub them together and let the contracting glue be the clamp.

[Darryl Wolfe]

Thanks Paul. And BTW, I am getting great surfaces to join using my new router table and fence. Painless so far

[Paul Hostetter]

Wow. Talk to us about that tool!

[otterly2k]

Paul,
did you say that just b/c the brand is Freud?


or ... sometimes, is a power tool just a power tool?

[Paul Hostetter]

I'm interested in the tool. Most missing fingers I have known owe their disappearance to normal jointers, so seeing something that does that job without the evil cutters is intriguing.

[sunburst]

Darryl, I think hide glue is superior for top (and back) joints for these reasons:
-the joint is less susceptible to dry heat
-it makes a less visible joint
-it works better with a rubbed joint, though titebond will work too, and rubbed joints are just easier for me, with wedge-shaped pieces of wood, than clamping.

[Paul Hostetter]

You do a rubbed joint with aliphatic?

[Skip Kelley]

So let me get this straight, you don't clamp the top or back when gluing with hide glue? I like that idea!

[sunburst]

You do a rubbed joint with aliphatic?

I don't, but I've heard from a good woodworker (not luthier) that it can be done.

Skip, yep a rubbed joint is not clamped. It has to fit nearly perfectly, and it takes some practice.

[Gail Hester]

I rub then clamp with some pressure so they don't move or get bumped. I wish I was brave enough just to rub them, sure would be easier.

[testore]

what Gail said. I've been useing stuff from Mohawk finisheing supply on my own work for 15 years, but recently I've been useing some other stuff.I've been doing some repair for a local shop and they have some hide glue that I've been useing. MAKE SURE that after you make the glue you allow a skin to form on top, then remove this skin.It is a fatty layer that makes the glue less adhesive if you don't remove it. the Mohawk stuff doesn't require this step but some hide glue does. Sometimes I'll do this step twice, it makes a big difference.

[Dan Voight]

Sorry to break the conversation about jointing (thats a nice jointing set-up by the way). Some of you probably have already seen my new trc design, but I'll throw it in here anyways. It works great.

[Dan Voight]

guts

[markishandsome]

Are those magnets, or a press fit?

[Dan Voight]

I should have expanded... they are 1/4" by .01" rare earth magnets. I colored the ones in the ph with a sharpee so I would know what side to leave pointing up. If they were flipped, it would make for a very acrobatic trc. guess I could have colored the other side... The trc does not fall out or buzz at all.

[Paul Hostetter]

Do the magnets improve tone, or at least extend string life?

[buddyellis]

On the glue joint thing, I've got an issue with a plate that I didn't notice till I'd cut out the mando shape (I have a decent bit of 'extra material' however, enough that I can get a clamp on the end and make sure it draws up well)

Back plate, near the tailpiece end, I noticed I must not have gotten enough glue in there (this was a rubbed joint, and it fit perfectly previously) and the seam is coming apart. The plate was perfectly fitting, no light, etc, when I jointed, and when you hydrate it up, it comes back together, but I think I may have dried that end of the plate out too much (it sat on a heater duct for a couple nights) and the seam is separating slightly. Is it feasible to notch the end of the plate where I can get a clamp on it, heat 'er up a bit, and wick some hide glue in there 'packing the wheel bearings method (scrub it in till it comes out the other side), and clamp it up? This is a great piece of wood and I'd hate to trash it.

[Darryl Wolfe]

Thanks to all..I think I know what I need to do.

I found the Frued router set-up on closeout at Lowes..like $129 on sale from $250 or so

I looked and looked at it for days..but the "red" metal part intrigued me the most...it is really awesome in that it is micrometer 0.001 adjustable on the fence halves and is removeable from the entire surface deal for template routing (pickguards)..it has a typ miter slot too.

Back to edging, I sanded and band-sawed some wedges down, squared things up and then ripped them through the router blade to make a "joint" surface....lots of adjustment later..I got perfection, shiney, straight ready to join edges out of what I posted pic of

[Dan Voight]

Ha yes. They have healing properties like those bracelets. Unfortunately, I only had asthetics and direct functionality in mind during design.

[sunburst]

Buddy, I think you can fix it by doing just what you said.

[buddyellis]

I figured it wouldn't hurt to try. I glued up about 4 plates the other day and must have gotten in too big of a hurry on this one during the glue phase. Otherwise, I love the rubbed joint method. Been using high clarity hide glue and the joints just "aren't there" after carving.

I got an old #7 plane for christmas from my stepdad (he's a tool geek who finds all sorts of neat stuff, I think he got that plane for $15 (!)) and with a simple setup, you can do some easy jointing. I setup a 1x4 oak board on top of my table saw, clamp the board to be jointed to it, and a couple whacks with that jointer laid on it's side on my tablesaw, nothing to it. Maybe 20 minutes for those 4 plates.

[Mario Proulx]

Since you have lots of extra wood, you say, I'd go ahead and open the entire joint on that one and re-do it.

[buddyellis]

Well, rephrase, I have alot of extra wood LENGTHWISE. I think if I split it, it wouldn't make the width.

[Darryl Wolfe]

John..you still up to working on the 1922 Martin "B" Mandola I have (sunk/split in half top)

[Darryl Wolfe]

I'm really thinking about jus making a new top myself