Often new builders don't consider glue all that much. So what is the
best glue for what use ? I will explain glues in as simple terms as
possible. Glues will be basically a cured glue or drying glue. Most
protein glues are drying glues . What this means is the the glue can be
reactivated by adding some water. Hot hide glue and fish glue are drying
glues. The advantage is that you won't need to get the old glue out of the
joint , fresh glue and water should allow this to reset.
Tite Bond and white glue are more of a cure glue and once cured will not
set again and new glue won't set on old glue. If you have to separate one of
these joints you want to get old glue out. This can be as easy as working
sand paper into the joint and working new glue into the joint and
reclamping. Of the glues used HHG ( hot Hide Glue ) Fish glue , Tite bond
( yellow ) and white glue all can be steamed to release the joint. All
mentioned glues are plenty strong for the job . One thing to note is that
tite bond is known to "cold creep". That means the joint can move under
stress over time.
HHG and Fish glue won't. My preference is fish and Hot Hide glue. That
doesn't mean tite bond won't work.
To help yourself to assure success , I will also say that joint integrity
is very important. Of all the joints on a guitar most are simple butt joints.
You want the mating surfaces to be perfect as possible. The next thing is
the clamping time. tite bond says it can be set in 45 min clamp time.
Fish and HHG should be clamped a good 6 hr and not to stress for 24 hr.
As a rule most joints I allow to set overnight. Glue clean up can be
very easy with the protein glues and what you miss on glue up day you can
work out with warm water and a soft tooth brush. Tite bond and white glues
I allow to set about 15 min and they often scrape out neat and clean when
the get "boogerized".
One last thing is the amount of glue. I apply enough glue to see glue
but still see the wood. You want to see some squeeze out but not too much.
I find a plastic straw cut at an angle makes great glue removal tool.
Other glues that I use are DUCO Cement or Weld on when I glue plastic to
wood. I don't use epoxy for many jobs but will use it for carbon fiber .
CA ( super Glue ) I may use on some repair but note this can cause some
issues. CA when used on spruce may cause a yellowish stain. On other woods
CA May wick into pores and leave a glue signature under finish .
Hopefully you find this helpful.
Happy building from RC Tonewoods and
John Hall of Blues Creek Guitars
