Official Luthiers Forum!

[QUOTE=Steve Kinnaird] Todd, how do you feel about wiping the jointed (sanded) area with a damp rag?

SK[/QUOTE]

Steve, I don't know. My guess is it's probably fine to do that. My first thought is wondering if raising and swelling the grain prior to applying glue and clamping would have any significant effect on the quality of the joint. My guess is that it wouldn't. In any case, the wood is wetted by the glue itself in the process of gluing it together (forgive me for stating the obvious).

I do suspect, though, that wiping with a damp rag doesn't remove the dust as thoroughly as vacuuming or blowing it off with compressed air. Probably not enough of a difference to really affect the quality of the joint, though.

_________________
Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

[QUOTE=Sam Price]

Have you got a biscuit jointer at work, or do you use the plane or sandpaper technique?    [/QUOTE]

Sam, I think you may be confusing a JOINTER, the machine I referred to, with a BISCUIT JOINER (note it's biscuit joiner, not biscuit jointer -- I don't mean to get all nitpicky on you, just seeking to clarify terms and meanings). A JOINTER is a large machine much like a giant upside-down handplane, with a spinning knife head in place of the plane blade. It's called a jointer because it creates flat, straight surfaces for glue joints. If it's well tuned up and its knives kept sharp, and if you use a slow but steady feed rate, it can create glass-smooth, perfect edges/surfaces. A wonderful machine -- I use mine all the time.

A biscuit joiner is a different animal entirely: a handheld power tool that's used for a specific, modern type of joinery I've never heard of anyone using for any part of guitar building -- though I suppose it could be used in a neck joint... Fabio Ragghianti makes a neck joint that's similar to biscuit joint.

_________________
Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

[QUOTE=Aoibeann] You can make a jig and edge them with the router.

Use a straight pattern bit to follow the straight edge of the jig. I hope this made sense.[/QUOTE]

Lillian's idea is another perfectly viable option, but it would depend on the perfect straightness and smoothness of the jig itself.

It would be even easier to use a jig like that on a router table than with a handheld router. A simple, basic router table is easy to build, and is an extremely useful tool. Or you can buy a fancy one with lots of nice features. My router table is integral to my table saw and has a very nice JessEm lift mechanism that's a delight to use.

_________________
Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Todd...

Feel totally free to nitpick!!!!! It's blatantly obvious I don't work with powertools except a jigsaw, sander and drill.. When I've worked with wood, it's with hand tools...

Thanks for the explanation. I've have learnt so much off this site, it's incredible.