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keeping the glue out of the fret slots when you are glueing on fingerboard binding? I use either white glue of superglue depending on the situation I find myself in fitting the binding. It is sometimes a pain no matter how little glue I use and I don't use much.John How38396.5648958333

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Boy, I hope someone has an answer for this one. I just got mad and busted one into splinters the other day. I just couldn't get all the glue out of it.Dave Rector38396.5763773148

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

I use a dental pick and before the glue dries I pick it out of the slots.
It would be nice to know a better way thought.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I used a broken hacksaw blade ground to a point after the glue hardened a little. About 15 min after gluing on the binding. I also used dental bits with a dremel after it was completely dry, but there is room for mistakes with this method. The hacksaw blade worked the best. It is the exact size of the kerf.
Tracy

Don't use so much glue that you fill the slots.

Really, spread the glue on the binding, not the fretboard, and only use enough to get the job done.

Sorry Dave I never bind my fretboards, but the tag at the end is my son's (a Web designer) favourite joke!

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

I vote for removing the glue before the it compleatly dries. I look through my offcut pile for a thin piece of scrap that will just fit in the kerf and put a point on it - same as the hacksaw blade idea.

But to do that, you have to clamp the binding on in a way that will allow access to all the kerfs, while it's still clamped.

Illegitimi Non Carborundum

I used to work in a pulp mill's "grinder room". The above was our motto....

Really guys, you don't need tools, you don't need special techniques. Just don't use so much damned glue that it gets into the slots.

Mario, indeed, don't let the bastards burn you!
There's a lot to be said for a little glue going a long way. But I'm of the school that preaches, "if you don't see a little squeeze out, you ain't got enough glue!" So for me i use the little fret slot pick that stew mac sells. The advantage over various dental pics is that it's pretty much the exact same width of a slot so you get a very good cleaning without much effort. If you get on the glue when it is in it's "leather hard" stage (that not-quite-completely-dry stage that takes about 15 minutes depending on your climate)it will just be one quick scoop of the pick. No effort at all. But if you do it too early, you just make a mess

[QUOTE=PaulB]
Illigitimi Non Carborundum[/QUOTE]

Inform me, what does that mean?

(duplicate post erased)Vivian38396.847037037

When I was attending Al Carruth's Saturday lutherie classes in Dedham,
MA he had me insert thin pieces of plastic - actually strips cut from the
plastic lid of a can of Maxwell House coffee - in the fret slots to keep the
glue out when I bound the fretboard.

Viv

Illegitimi Non Carborundum = Don't let the bastards grind you down

For a minute there I thought Woolson was cussin'.

Fingers on the switch....

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

And me being the potential violator!?! Sorry Lance and all. Just Translating the quote. Pwoolson38397.5803472222

Hello John!
I?m using small pieces of plasticfoil (PVC), about 0,6mm thick. I had never trouble with glue squeezeout when fretting a bound fingerboard

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I like the stew mac fret slot tool and the cleaning before the glue dries method. The hook on the tool cleans the slot really well. I try to be carefull when I pry upward to remove the glue as it is easy to lift the grain from the edge of the slot

Are we allowed to say say, "Bastard File"?...or perhaps it should be called a "fatherless child file" JJ Donohue38397.7894097222

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

I use compressed air to blow the glue out of the
slots while it's still wet. For cleaning dried glue out
fret slots, I made a little hook like Stwe-Mac's out of a
.025" feeler gauge and brazed it to the tip of a
soldering iron. Once it's hot, it will slide right through
anything in the slots, even epoxy.

Now that's what I call a hot tip. Thanks Mike and everybody else. I usually use tape to clamp the binding to the FB and of course it gets in the way of cleanup while the glue is wet. I guess I should come up with a better way so I can do it while the glue is still wet as that makes a lot more sense. Thanks you all, John

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

I've used tape also, John. I do the sides first, then the end. I just don't tape over the slots. It allows room for cleanup.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Mike how DO you come up with such great Ideas??

Are you going to healdsburg this year?? there are a bunch of us that would like to buy you a drink for all the great advice and tips you've given out...

One day I'll make the trek out to your neck of the woods and visit the temple of Doolin

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Here is another “hot” method for cleaning the slots. I picked this one up from Sergi de Jonge. I have a small, cheap backsaw that fits nicely into the slot. I heat the saw with a small propane torch until the blade is red-hot. Then I quickly plunge the blade into the slot. It basically evaporates the dry glue on contact. If I need to I will go back and pick out any remaining bits of glue with a small knife or something. This method works fairly well. You just want to be careful not to slip with the saw.

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
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House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
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Some cool tricks, guys, but I still say that the best way is to simply not gum up the slots in the first place <g>