Originally Posted by
rcc56
Possibly the only really sharp trick I learned from a youtube video:
To get a really strong temporary bond between two surfaces that is easy to disassemble later:
Run masking tape along the length of both gluing surfaces. Then, run a couple of beads of CA [super glue] on one of the masked surfaces. Clamp or hold together until set.
When whatever work you want to do is complete, separate by peeling the tape off one of the surfaces. Sometimes lifting a corner of the tape and running a spatula underneath is helpful. Finally, peel the rest of the tape off the other surface.
This has ALL kinds of ramifications in lutherie.
On my last fingerboard replacement:
1. I drilled tiny holes through the 3rd fret and 12th fret inlay pockets, and rough fitted the fingerboard to the neck. I bound the fingerboard, secured it to the neck using pins through the holes I had drilled through the inlay pockets, and cleaned up the fit.
2. I masked the back of the fingerboard, super glued it to the masked surface of a nice, flat, heavy board, and inlayed and fretted it. I fitted the 3rd and 12th fret inlays, but did not glue them in yet.
3. Then I separated the fingerboard from the flat board and left the tape on the back of the fingerboard. This time I glued the fingerboard to a narrower piece of wood to make a nice handle to hold the board while I sprayed the bindings.
4. I separated the fingerboard from the handle, took the tape off, and scraped any stray lacquer from the back of the board.
5. I glued the board to the mandolin, again using the locating pins to hold it exactly in place, let it set for 48 hours, installed the 3rd and 12th fret inlays, levelled the frets, and strung it up. Very little levelling was necessary. Fretting the fingerboard while it was glued to the flat, heavy surface kept distortion to an absolute minimum.
I will continue to use this technique when replacing fingerboards. The temporary gluing trick is useful in all kinds of places, from gluing sandpaper to a block, to gluing a nut or saddle [or anything else] to a handle so it can be machine sanded, to the fingerboard trick, to anything else that needs a handle or work support. Thanks to the British fellow on youtube who posted the video because he was having difficulties getting Stick-it sandpaper where he lives.
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