Official Luthiers Forum!

or you can just go to mcmaster.com

Also you can search ebay for "latex sheet"

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Anyone build a fixture like LMI's aluminum guitar holding fixture. I saw that Dave Bland bought their set. Any comments on building one vs. buying one? It looks quite straighforward... I got a few of those jig handles at Grizzly last weekend, the rest could be made of a number of different materials that will machine well. PICTURES anyone? Dave?

Here's a great pump. The people are very easy to deal with too.
http://www.vacupress.com/
-Charles

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Freeborn Guitars
and home of BeauGuard©

I just got a new Gast rocking dual piston pump. 2.7 CFM 100 PSI and 28
HG. All for $100 :)

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

John, is that another eBay find or do you have a source where we could buy one for that?

I have a small Thomas pump and so far it has done everything I have asked of it. Got it off eBay for $35-40 bucks. It is also very quiet. Nice pump.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Oops, meant to say thanks to Sylvan and John for the info on the membrane material. Sometimes I forget what I'm doing...

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

I wonder about the release, cleanup, reclamp using hide glue. The clamp system keeps constant pressure during that critical time when the glue is weak and the bridge might like to spring away a little.

Sylvan
That is identical to my press. One end is hinged isn't it? I think mine is leaking there and I need input as to the resolution of the problem.

Ron

If you are looking for a complete package from a site that will also tell you how to build one yourself out of found parts (of which any of the pieces needed are also for sale) check out http://www.joewoodworker.com. He is a great guy with very good info. He tells you what to buy and what not to buy if you want to build your own as well as complete packages. He also sells alot of very nice veneer.

Yes. One end is hinged with a piano hinge. However, mine has closed cell
foam around the complete interior so the hinge is not part of the critical
area.

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Sylvan
http://www.wellsguitars.com

I don't know a thing about vacumn clamping but was wondering on the effect on the glue , especially hide glue, under vacumn. I may be mistaken but doesn't the boiling point of water get lower as the atmosphiric pressure drops? Does the pressure drop get low enough to "boil" the water in the glue?

This is Frank's rig that I used a few weeks ago. He uses corian dishes that have been milled into the face of the plate. I thought this was a really good idea and it is a snap to glue everything in place. Just grab the upper dish lay it on the corian and every thing starts clamping immediately.

I have never seen anyone else do it this way and thought you might get some new ideas... I did...

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

That's pretty cool! Does the Corian flip over and have a second radius on the other side?

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

yes, 16' on one side 28' on the other. The whole thing takes less than 30 seconds to set up, and when you are done you can push the whole cart bak into a corner.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

If you are seriously considering going the vacuum route you should cast an eyeover the joewoodworker.com site shawn listed above. I've been using vacuum for almost ten years in a variety of processes and i still learned an awful lot about how to improve what i've been doing.

Even if you aren't considering using a vacuum process, you might be after reading what he has to say.

Broc:
What glue is Frank using?

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

Titebond, LMI white, hide glue... he uses some of everthing. That top I built in the pic above is titebond.

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com