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fret board glue-up

Posted by JL on March 20, 2016 at 2:45pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

I know its been mentioned before, there are a lot of tricks to gluing on the fretboard, just thought I'd start another one with pictures.

My technique is to use a couple of the ratcheting clamps to squeeze  on the sides at each end to keep it in line, use scraps/cutoffs  the same width as the fingerboard for cauls, and every spring clamp I own for downward pressure.

anyone else have pics of their glue-up to share?

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Tags: clamps, fingerboard, fretboard, glue
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Replies

  • Titch the Clown March 21, 2016 at 3:32pm

    I fix the fretboard in place with two thin nails one in the 3rd fret slot one in the 12th fret slot. I use the cordless drill to drill the nails in rather tham hammering to avoid splitting. Then i wrap with a strip of bike inner tube under tension and a spring clamp to hold the end. Frets easily cover the nail holes and having them at 3 and 12 helps my old brain keep track of where the fret dots go.

  • JL March 21, 2016 at 8:12am

    related note: yes in the background of the pic is every cutoff from this and several projects back.  Can't seem to find the rational to toss something that might be useful.  tiny little blocks and wedge shaped pieces are very useful for stacking up a support for keeping things level, EVERY cutoff is a perfect caul for something, little blocks to glue inside the box at the neck/box joint for a good place to attach with screws, little tiny sticks to thicken a lip for support of the lid or bracing the inside of the lid.  even the tinyiest toothpick bit is useful to repair a stripped out screw hole.

    • John Sawyer > JL March 21, 2016 at 8:53pm

      I have a 5 gallon bucket completely full of bits, cutoffs, failures, those little side pieces from cigar boxes, etc.   Someday I'll just dump it in the fire pit.  All that hardwood should make a nice warm fire...

    • JL > John Sawyer March 24, 2016 at 7:00am

      most of my hardwood bridge blanks start out as a member of the cut-offs pile.

  • John Sawyer March 21, 2016 at 1:20am

    sometimes my fingerboards aren't perfectly straight.  I always cut them about 1/16" too wide, so once glued they can be sanded down to match the neck.  The sideways clamp is brilliant... Walnut fingerboards are almost always warped, and I sometimes fight them straight... I'm off to buy more clamps so I can have sideways ones!  Thanks!

  • Ron "Oily" Sprague March 20, 2016 at 10:57pm
    If you run out of, or simply need more clamps, a few wraps of blue painter's tape is equally effective. Just enough downward pressure to allow the glue to set in the joint. If you're worried about slippage, pop a couple staples in partway, then snip the "bridge" off, leaving very thin pins that will prevent sliding ( same trick as on a scarf jointed headstock).
  • Bama Hound March 20, 2016 at 7:34pm

    These are some I have been working on for some Corvette wheel cover resonators. I use 24" pipe clamps and lay-up slightly oversize,so as to be able to net cut down the road. Usually do 3 necks at one time. Just have to be sure not to get confused and put glue on the wrong pieces or you will end up with a cutting board, not guitar necks.I don't have any pix of them with the clamps still on. These are Walnut and Poplar. Fretboard will be laminated to the top after cutting fret kerfs. I like to laminate my necks,it adds strength and will stop any chance of warpage. Contrasting colors makes for a good looking neck too. 

    Git_Nk_Btm.jpg

    Git_Nk_Side.jpg

    Vette_headstock_rough.jpg

    • Lane Martin > Bama Hound March 21, 2016 at 11:11am

      Nice work.

    • JL > Bama Hound March 21, 2016 at 8:00am

      beautiful

  • Uncle John March 20, 2016 at 4:15pm

    That is about how I do it.   Always stand on your left foot when applying clamps. 

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