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Thread: Gluing Bocote

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Gluing Bocote

    Are there any issues gluing Bocote to itself? What glue would you suggest?

  2. #2
    Polyurethane glues work well. In any case you'll need to wipe the wood with a solvent like Naphtha or lacquer thinner prior to gluing. Also, if you can sand the surfaces with 100 or 120 grit that helps, too. If you have to use TB then use II or III. CA glues work well, too.

    David
    David
    CurlyWoodShop on Etsy, David Falkner on YouTube, difalkner on Instagram

  3. Quote Originally Posted by David Falkner View Post
    Polyurethane glues work well. In any case you'll need to wipe the wood with a solvent like Naphtha or lacquer thinner prior to gluing. Also, if you can sand the surfaces with 100 or 120 grit that helps, too. If you have to use TB then use II or III. CA glues work well, too.

    David
    That's actually not correct and has been disproven by numerous luthiers. The best and strongest way to glue oily woods is to scrape or plane a fresh joint just before glue up. also, Titebond 2 or 3 creeps and should not be used in any guitar joint that will be stressed. Titebond Original yellow glue is much better for instrument building and hot hide even better once you get used to working with it.

  4. #4
    That's good to know, Darrell - thanks! I have only worked Bocote a couple of times and followed what I found on the Internet and at the wood database site. These state pretty much what I said, though I forgot I was in the 'Musical Instrument' subforum or I would never have mentioned TB II and III for the reasons you gave. I found those methods worked for me but then I was just gluing blocks together for another project, not an instrument.

    David
    David
    CurlyWoodShop on Etsy, David Falkner on YouTube, difalkner on Instagram

  5. No worries David. I've been building guitars for almost 20 years and have learned from some real pros. Even Fine woodworking dispelled the solvent wipe with oily woods some years back. Scraping or planing prior is best followed by fine sanding in the event you don't have a scraper or plane. Solvent was proven to bring oils to the surface and was the weakest joint. TB 2 and 3 are very strong, but their resistance to moisture, particularly for outdoor furniture is their greatest attribute. Stressed joints will creep over time and you will be able to feel a slight ridge at the joints. Titebond Original will do this too but much slower. An instrument left in a hot car and all bets are off. Hot hide glue will resist this as it needs bothe moisture and heat. Titebond Original hide glue is real hit and miss and I would never trust it on an instrument due to many instances where it wouldn't set. Fine when it does, but a mess when it doesn't. Cheers.

  6. #6
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    Since I started dabbling in guitar builds, I actually bought some TB-I because of the "creep" issue. I also use T-88 for gluing up body blanks.

    I agree with the scraping/sanding for oily woods. That fresh surface should give the glue a chance to get a good grip before any inherent oils move into the space.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  7. #7
    I did not know that... This discussion is why this place is well worth contributing to.

    A quick search produced:
    https://www.finewoodworking.com/foru...-before-gluing
    Are you guys suggesting the general direction on this referenced discussion are obsolete, because it tends to argue for a wipe?

    Also, about a month back there was a discussion here on gluing Teak outdoor furniture. Recommendation was don't wipe, and use West Sytems epoxy. So, you guitar men, would epoxy be bad for that? Seems like it would be rigid and tend to dampen sound.

  8. #8
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    I honestly like using the T-88 for guitar body blanks and would probably use it for oily wood species. Note that I'm building solid body guitars. As much as many folks talk about tone, etc., my opinion to-date is that there is less impact on sound by the guitar body for an electric than there would be for an acoustic instrument, even for a semi-hollow body. The neck probably matters more for electrics. I don't think a glue line of epoxy on an exotic cap is going to matter at all. (My goal for bodies is weight control, honestly)
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  9. #9
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    What can I expect for working time with a freshly mixed batch of T-88? This will be my first time using it. Amazon just brought me a batch. i think I could apply assemble my project in 15 minutes. Is that doable? I have used epoxy before and it set up FAST. It worked out OK but was stressful.
    Also any suggestions on what to mix it in. Won’t be much.
    Thanks in advance, Kevin
    Last edited by kevin nee; 02-22-2020 at 4:15 PM.

  10. #10
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    I'm going from memory, but I think the working time is something like 30 minutes. It will be on the bottles once you receive it. I had zero issue doing the assembly of an almost 9' long, 2" thick natural edge table top from two slabs with the T-88 working time. Still drips on my shop floor to prove that!! LOL
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  11. #11
    Join Date
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    Norway
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    Anyone here use powdered resin glue, like Cascamite? I just got a small can from the UK for some experiments...

  12. #12

    Love pre-cat powdered resin glue!

    Quote Originally Posted by Halgeir Wold View Post
    Anyone here use powdered resin glue, like Cascamite? I just got a small can from the UK for some experiments...
    I have used 100's of pounds of this stuff. I buy mine from Veneer Systems in Buffalo NY. Make sure that the material and the room is at least 70 degrees F. At the very least! It doesn't creep, It is a light "woody" colour and it sands like a dream. The squeeze out can be as sharp as broken glass though so be careful!

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