Best glue for a popped bridge???

Memphis Weirdo

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Looking for some advice from the experts. I have an old 1960's Harmony soprano (worth millions) and the bridge popped off. What seems to be the best glue to use for re-applying a bridge?

Since I've never performed this particular repair, any other advice on the matter would be welcomed and appreciated.
 
I've done this using Titebond and a clamp. Worked great. Be sure to clean up the squeezeout glue with a damp rag or paper towel before it sets.
 
I had mine repaid by a luthier and I am fairly certain that he used hide glue.

I later had a more complete setup done by Jake Wildwood and he commented on some of the prior work (bridge) being done with the right glue, and other repairs (by previous owners) done with the wrong glue.
The extra repairs and setup were more difficult and had less satisfactory finish because of the wrong glue.

I should make a bill-the-stick figure meme out of that.

My luthier works on my ukuleles.
My luthier uses hide glue.
My luthier is smart.
Be like my luthier.
 
I had mine repaid by a luthier and I am fairly certain that he used hide glue.

I later had a more complete setup done by Jake Wildwood and he commented on some of the prior work (bridge) being done with the right glue, and other repairs (by previous owners) done with the wrong glue.
The extra repairs and setup were more difficult and had less satisfactory finish because of the wrong glue.

I should make a bill-the-stick figure meme out of that.

My luthier works on my ukuleles.
My luthier uses hide glue.
My luthier is smart.
Be like my luthier.

I'm fairly certain you may be correct.
 
Looking for some advice from the experts. I have an old 1960's Harmony soprano (worth millions) and the bridge popped off. What seems to be the best glue to use for re-applying a bridge?

Since I've never performed this particular repair, any other advice on the matter would be welcomed and appreciated.

When the bridge on my old wall-hanger "Skylark" came adrift I re-fixed it with what I had to hand ... Evo-Stik Wood Adhesive (Interior)

It's a white liquid that dries relatively clear and surplus can be cleaned whilst wet with a damp cloth.

The resultant repair has lasted for some months now with a set of generic black nylon strings tuned up to D tuning (A D F# B) simply because it sounds so much more "alive" in the higher pitch.

The only reservation I had was ensuring the bridge was well clamped whilst the glue was drying without subjecting the body of the instrument to any undue stress. The only clamp I had to hand couldn't be used inside the sound-hole, so I had to clamp the whole body ... it wasn't a problem at the end of the day and the bridge has stayed on ;)
 
If the instrument was put together with hide glue AND is of value, by all means use hide glue for repairs. Many of the top uke luthiers who visit this site do not use hide glue for uke construction for various reasons. There is no magic in glue folks. Any good repairman can remove a uke bridge easily no mater what glue was used. For the uke mentioned that needs repair, I would suggest Titebond for ease of use and ease of repair.
 
Just use Titebond original, red cap. Clean both wood surfaces until just wood is showing. Put a lite coat of glue on each surface, press in place for a minute or two, clean up the edges with a soft damp cloth, put some weight on top of the bridge or clamp it in place if you have the right clamp and leave it over night. Watch it for a minute or two to make sure the bridge does not drift. Good luck.

Is the standard original Titebond wood glue adequate for the job, or would the II or III be better?
 
If you want the best, use hot hide glue. It doesn't matter if the ukulele is vintage or not, it's simply the best tool for the job.

Hot hide glue is easy to use, powerful, effective, and very forgiving when (not if) you make mistakes.

There is a small startup cost. You will need to buy some glue crystals (find them on ebay for about $15/lb) and also a Crock Pot Little Dipper to use as a glue pot. The crock pot is like $20. Mix the glue crystals with some water in a small jar and put the jar in the crock pot filled with some water. After an hour you are good go. Store the leftover glue in the fridge til next time.

Once you do your first repair with it you'll be able to use it in the future too. It's great for repairing cases, cracks, braces, everything.
 
All sound advice above: either hot hide glue, or the cold alternatives (titebond or even white wood glue). All of these suggestions require some cleaning, clamping, or weight on top for at least a few hours, preferably a night and day. Hey, there's a song in there! Both ways make very strong connections - after all, it's what good furniture makers use. Hide glue smells nasty, doesn't fill any gaps (so you have to ensure a perfect fit) and requires some limited dexterity (mix, heat, stir, apply quickly, clamp, clean the residue), but it's completely reversible (hot water does the trick). For making a small amount, a glass of hot water or a micro-wave will do. And a small bag of glue pellets or chrystals goes a very long way.

But what I wanted to add: by NO means use superglue or instant glue. Cyano-acrylate as it's officially called, stains wood and gets sucked into it, it's so liquid it doesn't fill any gaps - so very little bonding strength - and even worse, it's impossible to remove without sanding and carving.
 
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If you have not used hot hide glue before don't start on your ukulele, practice first on scrap wood, it's not that easy. Titebond is a very good glue and is not as hard to use. The white one not II or III is best for your uke.
 
Best glue for a popped bridge:
The kind your luthier uses.
 
 
So ,........what did you use ?

I haven't done the job yet, but I'm gonna go with the Titebond. If Home Depot or Lowe's have some cheap clamps that are configured correctly to fit through the sound hole, I'll clamp it. Otherwise, I'll figure out a way to put weight on it without crushing the body while the glue dries.

If this was a vintage Martin (or one of those gorgeous Black Bear sopranos), I would send it to a pro... or use a more removable glue. But, this particular ukulele doesn't get played very much at all. Since it was my first childhood uke, it's a wall-hanger. Besides, the tone isn't that great, and the intonation is a bit off. Plus, the action would have benefited from a good set-up job... around 45 years ago!!!

Lots of sentimental value.

.
 
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Stewart McDonald used to have a great glue for this but discontinued it, now they recommend Titebond.

http://www.stewmac.com/SiteSearch/?search=glues

Harbor Freight has great clamps for this.

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=deep+throat+clamps

The hardest part is keeping the bridge from creeping. You can fix that by drilling two tiny holes just big enough for a pin and pin the bridge down, or you can build a "tape frame" up around the bridge to keep it from moving. Use two clamps and a block with a slot to go over the bridge. Take the tape off after the glue sets but before the glue dries. Remover any excess that may have squeezed off. Let it sit clamped for 24-36 hours and you will be ready to go.

You want two clean surfaces and don't need a ton of glue.
 
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