I Would Like to Learn How To Fix this

[charles Tauber]

Look for glue at a hardware store or building supply store, not an office or craft supply. Look for a wood glue that is white (polyvinyl) or yellow (aliphatic resin). Elmer makes both. Titebond is another brand of yellow, but there are others.

I repeat, save yourself the time, money and effort and use masking tape to glue the top to the sides. There are other alternatives, but none so readily available and inexpensive.

Spool clamps are not versatile clamps and can't be used for most of the tasks in guitar making and repair. If you insist on clamps, I suggest you buy (or make) clamps that can be used for a wide variety of guitar-related tasks, rather than single-purpose spool clamps.

Making cam clamps may be beyond your current tools and abilities and they are relatively expensive to buy. However, they can be used for many different tasks.

https://www.canadianwoodworking.com/...2ab78-78258325

Otherwise, clamps such as this can also be used for your current and many future tasks:



A variety of manufacturers make similar clamps. They can often be found on sale as much as half-off, a good time to buy several. There are also variations that allow one jaw to removed and turned around to apply pressure to spread things apart. This capability also has a variety of uses. Look for them in hardware or building supply stores.

[YamaYairi]

Originally Posted by jcee

I had a look around for that glue. The best option looks to be from Amazon but it will be 2+ weeks.

The place I got that glue today is this place and they have a range of Elmers but maybe more for craft?

I found that other glue though I think, is this it? https://www.carbatec.com.au/joinery-...inal-237ml-red

I can get that, it will be another $10 for shipping so I might as well buy a couple of tubes.

With the doweling, are you looking at the photo where it's sitting there with the guitar and other materials (in a long pole horizontally uncut) or are you looking at the pic I posted of "how I want it to look" with them all cut and clamped? I'm a bit worried it will be too thin and maybe I need wider stuff like in that pic I posted of it how I would like it to be?

With the cork, I will have a look around for that, or could I use cardboard layered or Balsa wood if I can't find cork?


edit: I see the square wood option is mentioned, maybe that would work, it would be much easier to get square pieces the right size too...

I was looking at the photo of the clamps with the guitar. That is the correct size. The ones I made are about 1 1/2" in diameter. I couldn't tell from your picture with all the parts together how thick the dowel is. How about a diameter measurement?
The Titebond glue in your link is the right stuff. Don't you Aussies have hardware stores nearby? In the USA any hardware store, large or small, would have either the Elmer's wood glue or Titebond. I am surprised you have to order it online.
If you can't find cork I would use chamois. Automotive supply stores have that. Make sure it's real chamois made of leather and not the fake stuff. The reason I recommend cork or chamois rather than cardboard is that cardboard is not resilient and you could dent the wood. Also if you get some glue squeezout under the clamp the cardboard will stick to the glue. If the chamois does stick, which I don't think it would, it should come off pretty easily. Cork might stick but I haven't had that happen so far. Because of it's crumbly nature, cork should be easy to remove if it does stick.

[dhalbert]

Originally Posted by jcee

I had a look around for that glue. The best option looks to be from Amazon but it will be 2+ weeks.

I looked for the Australian equivalents of Home Depot and Lowe's. Masters Home Improvement has Titebond. Bunning's has Parfix PVA glue. If they have them I would assume hardware stores would as well.

[slide496]

THere's also a luthier's store selling titebond in Australia:

http://luthierssupplies.com.au/index.php?cPath=96

[Ned Milburn]

The other posters have got you sorted out for the repair.

There is a reason most guitars are built with binding. The reason is NOT simply aesthetic. Rather, it is structural. Binding is called binding because it binds the guitar top and back helping hold it on, seals the end grain, and provides greater impact resistance.

[jcee]

Originally Posted by dhalbert

I looked for the Australian equivalents of Home Depot and Lowe's. Masters Home Improvement has Titebond. Bunning's has Parfix PVA glue. If they have them I would assume hardware stores would as well.

yeah Masters has the glue I seen the other day but there is no store near me.

Bunnings is close and I buy everything else there, so I might as well get this Parfix PVA glue, so I assume then that this will do a similar job to the Elmers and Titebond so I will pick some of that up this week.

Going with the masking tape idea sounds a lot easier but maybe I can do that but also attach a few clamps as well, and I have already got the bolts so I just need the wood and cork. I assume just general masking take will work that is used for painting prep and it will come off the guitar easy when finished without damage.

Once again thanks a lot to everyone for your help.

I will update again when I get started with glueing it down.

[Ned Milburn]

Originally Posted by jcee

yeah Masters has the glue I seen the other day but there is no store near me.

Bunnings is close and I buy everything else there, so I might as well get this Parfix PVA glue, so I assume then that this will do a similar job to the Elmers and Titebond so I will pick some of that up this week.

Going with the masking tape idea sounds a lot easier but maybe I can do that but also attach a few clamps as well, and I have already got the bolts so I just need the wood and cork. I assume just general masking take will work that is used for painting prep and it will come off the guitar easy when finished without damage.

Once again thanks a lot to everyone for your help.

I will update again when I get started with glueing it down.

Masking tape, as Charles suggested, is an excellent choice for this repair.

[YamaYairi]

Originally Posted by jcee

yeah Masters has the glue I seen the other day but there is no store near me.

Bunnings is close and I buy everything else there, so I might as well get this Parfix PVA glue, so I assume then that this will do a similar job to the Elmers and Titebond so I will pick some of that up this week.

Going with the masking tape idea sounds a lot easier but maybe I can do that but also attach a few clamps as well, and I have already got the bolts so I just need the wood and cork. I assume just general masking take will work that is used for painting prep and it will come off the guitar easy when finished without damage.

Once again thanks a lot to everyone for your help.

I will update again when I get started with glueing it down.

Use the blue masking tape, made for painting. It is less sticky and leaves no residue.

[mirwa]

Whilst yes masking tape is possibly a good choice for this project, in general I do not find masking tape good for leaving on a surface,

Many many times I have seen tape that has imprinted into the finish.

Steve

[jcee]

OK I will get some of the blue tape as they sell it also at bunnings where I will get the glue. I will be careful taking it off and since this is only a pretty cheap guitar and probably one I will use everyday myself at music school then It won't be so much of a concern if there are some slight marks left anyway. This will make it a lot easier, I might even head to the shop today and pick up the glue and tape to get started...

[jcee]

OK, today I had to go into to see a business about a matter and there was a Home Hardware store (local hardware chain) nearby so I thought I would go and ask there while I was there to save me going to the other place. I told them the 3 brands and products I had been recommended including the local one. They did not stock any of those but they had the Selleys Aquadhere Interior wood glue listed here http://www.selleys.com.au/adhesives/...here-interior/

The guy told me he was a furniture wood worker or something and assured me this one will do the same job and won't harm the guitar. I mentioned it would need to allow the top to be taken off again in the future if the need arises and he confirmed it is able to be loosened or dissolved in hot water. So it sounded OK and I just got a bottle of that. I decided to just get some general painting masking tape and not the blue one which was really expensive at this shop as they are one of the higher priced hardware stores for some products. I'm thinking that the guitar cost less than $200 and will be used everyday so if there are a few faint stains from the tape then it should not be too much concern.

I will probably get this started tomorrow if I have time.

[charles Tauber]

For a $200 guitar, the Selleys PVA is fine as is the masking tape. The masking tape will not stain or mark the guitar if left on for the duration of the glue drying - over night is sufficient.

Some avoid polyvinyl acetate (PVA) glues due to their tendency to creep over time. It should be adequate for this repair on this instrument.

If you have one, use a tape dispenser, tearing off pieces as you go. If you don't have one, cut 15 or so 6" long pieces prior to applying the glue. The "open" time for PVA glues is typically only 5 to 10 minutes: you want to have it fully clamped/taped within that time.

Apply glue to the surface(s) to be glued. To use the tape, apply about 3" of one end of a piece of tape to the top. Using your fingers, smooth the tape down so it is well stuck for about 2-1/2 of those 3": leave the end of the tape only lightly attached. Leaving the very end lightly attached facilitates removing it when you are done. With the other hand, with the thumb pressing down on the top, near the top's edge, and fingers opposing by pressing against the back near the edge, apply pressure to the top to close the glued joint. While maintaining that pressure, stretch the remaining 3" of tape over the edge of the top and down the guitar side, smoothing the tape and adhering it to the guitar side. With a little practice, you'll quickly learn how much pull/stretch you can apply to the tape before it tears. Repeat with additional pieces of tape until the entire area to be clamped is done.

With a DRY rag or paper towel remove any glue squeeze-out as you go. (The tape won't adhere well to a damp surface.) Doing so, simplifies the final clean-up. For final clean-up, after the glue is dry and the tape removed, wipe away dried glue with a rag moistened with HOT water.

[Rodger Knox]

I'll add this to Charles excellent instructions. I fold over about 1/4" of one end of the tape to facilitate removal. (I also do that to the tape on the roll)
Sometimes it helps to double the tape by sticking two pieces together before you put it on. You should have all the pieces of tape ready before you apply the glue, I usually make up 2 or 3 more than I think I'll need.

[jcee]

thanks Charles and Rodger for these additional tips which will be very helpful.

So I assume when I get the tape all cut and prepared I will slightly stick it all to a piece of wood I will have nearby at the end and ready to be placed on the guitar.

A couple of questions:

Would it be best to place all the pieces of cut tape on the guitar top and all pressed down except for where it joins the side and I would then put the glue in. Once the glue is in then I could press all the tape pieces down to the side and seal them. This would be so it will be all ready to go once the glue is in and all I would have to do is to press the tape down on the side. Does this sound OK?

Also, should I actually wrap some of the tape completely around the guitar as well to give it more pressure on the seal?

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by jcee

So I assume when I get the tape all cut and prepared I will slightly stick it all to a piece of wood I will have nearby at the end and ready to be placed on the guitar.

Sure.

A couple of questions

Just follow the advice Roger and I gave and it will be fine. I've done it that way successfully for more than 30 years. Once you have a little experience with it feel free to improve on it as you see fit.

Also, should I actually wrap some of the tape completely around the guitar as well to give it more pressure on the seal?

No. It isn't necessary and won't increase pressure on the joint.