I need some help with the fingerboard...

[viento]

My guitar is almost finished,
only one thing that doesn´t behave:

the tongue of the ebony fingerboard that´s lying on the spruce top
keeps coming up a tad, only a hue.
I tried a drop of Titebond at its end and pressed it down overnight.
Next day after taking off the clamp it lifted up with a click.
Then I sanded off the residue of the glue and used hot hide glue : same result.
Maybe I should add glue not only at its tip but under the whole region of the tongue?
Normally both mentioned glues should bind ebony and spruce?
I actually wanted to avoid such amount of glue to be able
to take the neck off easier -if necessary - in the future.

Taylor fixes the fb on top with a screw...maybe I´ll have to think about such..?

Any help appreciated

[John Arnold]

Maybe I should add glue not only at its tip but under the whole region of the tongue?

There is no reason not to use plenty of glue on the whole fingerboard tongue. It is easily removable with a heatlamp.

[Rodger Knox]

If the fingerboard is not lying flat on the top, you should probably make a wedge that fits underneath the fingerboard extension.
If the max height is less than 1/16", a couple of drops of Titebond or HHG should hold the fingerboard down. How much you flex the fingerboard also affects the fallaway.
edit: I agree with John about using plenty of glue, but if a little will not hold it, you probably have too big a gap.

[Ned Milburn]

John and Brian have got you just about covered with their advice. I will ask, however, if you have any amount of finish protruding into the fingerboard extension gluing area.

"Lifted up with a click " is a suggestion that there might be glue to finish contact. Many glues, likely most, don't make strong bonds with a lot of finishes.

[redir]

I typically use glue on the perimeter of theach fb extension and leave the middle free but still I've stressed joints with clamps and TB with good results within reason. How much of a gap is there at the end of the FBT and the top?

[LouieAtienza]

I'm with those who secure the entire fretboard area to the top. I also agree that releasing that joint is a relatively simple task. I wouldn't starve any other joint on a guitar, even though it is easier to clean up than a joint with glue squeeze out. I actually worry when I do not have anyssqueeze out, especially with soft woods that seem to suck glue up!

I should add that if the fretboard is straight before you glue down the extension then it's possible the neck angle needs slight adjustment.

[viento]

Thank you all for your helpful advice!
I will use some more glue this time and I´ll take Titebond which gives me more time joining neck and body.
Hot hide glue hurries me too much, because I have to tighten the two screws of the mortise and tenon joint before it starts curing.
Ned, you´re right, there could have been some traces of the finish in the gluing area preventing good joining.
I´ll sand some more. Leaving the middle free of glue is worth thinking about and would make less work if I want to loosen the joint at some time.
In addition to your proposals I will alter the angle between the neck foot and the body a tad by gluing tiny wedges on the lower part.
This will turn the end of the fb slightly downward and close the tiny gap below the "tongue" thus making gluing trouble-free.
Btw,Louie, the fretboard is straight up to the extension before gluing.

Have a healthy New Year!

[GreenWoodworker]

Dont try a screw! Taylors are a small bolt with a nut in a piece of the neck that comes under the fretboard.