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Gluing a sound board or figured top

Quap

Quap

Oct 14, 2008
302
193
44
Lubbock, Texas
#1
How do you glue two thin pieces of wood together?

I am interested in constructing acoustic instruments, but from what I have read looking at thicknesses of .125" for a soundboard. I figured a thin veneer of figured wood may be comparable.

If you lay them on a surface wouldn't excess glue stick the wood to the surface?
 
#3
Quap said:
How do you glue two thin pieces of wood together?

I am interested in constructing acoustic instruments, but from what I have read looking at thicknesses of .125" for a soundboard. I figured a thin veneer of figured wood may be comparable.

If you lay them on a surface wouldn't excess glue stick the wood to the surface?
Click to expand...

All you need is wax paper underneth.

A good thickness for an acoustic soundboard is about 4.3mm final.
 
#5
I just use two plates of plywood (good & flat of course), slightly smaller than the width of the top, with a layer of wax paper on either side of the joint. Glue & close the joint with 2 or 3 cabinet clamps (big bar clamps), then clamp the joint flat in a plywood-wax paper sandwich.
 
#6
erikbojerik said:
I just use two plates of plywood (good & flat of course), slightly smaller than the width of the top, with a layer of wax paper on either side of the joint. Glue & close the joint with 2 or 3 cabinet clamps (big bar clamps), then clamp the joint flat in a plywood-wax paper sandwich.
Click to expand...

3/4" mdf works great for that.
 
#7
Well this is what has been working for me so far. Yes there is wax paper underneath the centerboard. The center board is also slightly convex on the side that touches the top. The jig does look like it would be pretty sweet and also save major time...t
 
#10
Here's how I do it - pretty much like Tom does:

3/4" plywood undercarriage - wax paper taped down so that it doesn't bunch up & work its way into a glue joint.

top1-1.jpg




3-piece bocote top - checking to see that I have good squeeze-out on all joints.

top2.jpg



Now the top plywood layer with wax paper underneath - the small screw clamps are right at the glue joints, and just tight enough to snug it all down (too tight and you could open up the joints).

top3.jpg
 
#12
Its about 16" wide - an extra inch outside the pattern on both sides. Neck-thru mostly-walnut 4-banger for my older son.

I have 2 others - one I'm definitely hanging onto, the other I'm not sure. This one is actually resawn from leftovers after resawing backs & sides for acoustic guitars. It was too narrow for a 2-piece back, and not long enough for sides - so, 3-piece drop top.
 
#14
In his book "Build Your Own Electric Guitar" Melvyn Hiscock shows a method where you nail two rows of nails or brads, just far enough apart so the joint is tight when the two pieces are in place. Then you place a strip of 1" piece of wood under the seam of the two pieces. After gluing the joint you remove the strip of wood and the pieces are squeezed together when they are layed flat. (on wax paper of course)

This method only works if the peices are flat, but it works well when you don't want to much pressure. Gluing thin laminates edge to edge can be tricky, and you cannot apply to much pressure.
 

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