Thread: Progress in the Luthiers Workshop - Side Glue Up

Monday.....a nightmare for most but a good day in the luthiers workshop.

Attached pics show sides being glued in. Notes as follows:

1. Sides are locked into heel block by use of wooden wedges......fabricated from off cuts of Spanish Cedar from neck. Work down to correct thickness on a sanding board (I use 80 grit Carborundum attached to MDF with double sided tape).

2. Glue is applied sparingly to top surface of linings........run a bead along same and lightly smear with finger.

3. Clamping order is important during this operation....clamp up waist area first......upper bout second (hammer in glued up wedges at this stage).....then clamp up lower bout. Once lower bout is clamped down onto top THEN put the clamps on the tail block. During this operation a pet Octopus is very handy.

4. When gluing up wedges.....DONT glue up front face of side....if you do youll get glue squeeze out showing around interface between heel block and sides.

5. Once everything is glued up...leave for 30 minutes then clean up glue once it sets to leathery consistancy. I use glue chisel and cabinet scraper for same.

6. Once both sides are glued up youll have a couple of hours to wait till the clamps come off.......beer time!!!!

7. The more observant of you (and luthiers) will notice there is a bit of a gap between the sides and the the heel block. Cut the slots in the heel block at too acute an angle...havent quite worked out how Ill cover up this little stuff up.

Cheers Martin