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I don't think it has been mentioned in this discussion yet, but if everything else fails there is always epoxy. Before I knew any better, I glued plastic bindings (ABS?) on a mandolin (my first) and it has held up just fine. Sure is messy tho.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Guys,

I'm a former piano tech (left the trade 20 years ago) and posted the following on a technicians forum a few years back:

Just a word of caution on CA glues: Be careful of the fumes. In addition to being a former tech, I'm also a competitive epee fencer. CA glue is used for maintenance there too.

Last week I was rewiring a bunch of epee blades and had a moderate and slightly scary reaction to the glue fumes. The basic procedure involves running a pair of very thin(28 ga) cloth insulated wires from the tip(basically a specialized spring loaded contact switch) down a shallow V shaped channel on the blade to be connected to a recepticle behind the bellguard. A very thin bead of glue is then run along the wires and if necessary any excess is cleaned up with a Q-tip. The blade is then slightly arched in a jig and let to dry.

The glue in question was Slo-Jet, a slow drying medium viscosity CA glue. After about two hours of work (6 or 7 blades) I began having difficulty breathing. It felt like there was something very heavy on my chest. It took about 4 hours to subside. It turned out that it was a reaction to the fumes of the CA glue and that this is a known reaction that happens to some people after a certain level of exposure.

If you are going to use CA glue for an application where there may be broad exposure to fumes, like soaking a soundboard or pinblock, it makes sense to take precautions and to pay attention to symptoms. Another symptom is itchy or burning eyes.

Using CA glue as a wood conditioner to improve a pinblock is a very interesting technique that wasn't available to us when I was working as a tech. CA glue is a very useful, versitile substance that is finding applications in many areas beyond its original intentions. I've found that if I make sure that the ventilation is good, use the bare minimum (a good idea anyway in wiring blades), and take a break immediately if I feel my eyes itch, I don't get the reaction mentioned above.

Regards,
Chris

[QUOTE=EpeeDad]In addition to being a former tech, I'm also a competitive epee fencer. CA glue is used for maintenance there too. [/QUOTE]

OK, you got me stumped...what is a competitive epee fencer? What is epee? You can fence with it? like a sword? I can imagine how dumb I'm going to look when you answer these questions....


Anthony, I apply the medium glue to the channel and then tape the binding in place. It spreads well, and doesn't dry too quickly. It works better for me than trying to get the thin stuff to make it's way down between the layers, and then I've had it not stick at all.Don Williams38632.5057638889

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

In our laboratory, if we wanted to use CA glue then it would have to be used in a fume cabinet with an extracted air flow so that the technician was not exposed to any fumes at all. I've not used it since the first time it made my eyes sting, kind of a warning.

Watching the Taylor's videos, the way that the chap glued the binding, wicking in the CA, would not be allowed under UK Health and Safety regulations and as for spraying Nitro, forget it!

Colin

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

Epee is similar to a sword. Much finer blade. I think it is the same that they use in the olympics.

I know very little as I've only seen pictures.

Ron

By the way, welcome to the forum, Chris. I suppose you also build guitars.old man38632.5604166667

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Hi Guys!

Don! Nice reso!

This is an epee fencer!



An epee is one of the three types of swords (foil and sabre are the others) that are used in modern competitve fencing as is done in the Olympics. Modern fencing is essentially a sophisticated game of tag with a 35" piece of steel. The major differences between the weapon types is in the valid target area and the rules. The scoring is done electricly, BTW.

Ron,

Thanks for the welcome. I'm currently in the very begining stage (researching!) of building a reso. I built a classical about 40 years ago when I was a teenager. It didn't come out too well but it was a very good experience. During the 70s, I worked as a piano technician in NYC and learned alot about working on fine instruments. I built a harpsichord that came out really well. Since changing careers (I manage a department of system engineers for an international telecom these days) I've made a celtic harp and a hammer dulcimer for fun. A reso is my next project.

Regards,
Chris

glue is yummy

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

[QUOTE=EpeeDad]   A reso is my next project.[/QUOTE]

Well Chris, I look forward to seeing what you do over on the Resonator Forum.

BTW, my reso is finally strung up!

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."