VIDEO- Gluing a top crack with hot hide glue

Beau Hannam Ukuleles

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• Apr 13, 2020

• #1

Please subscribe if you enjoy such lutherie videos.

 

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jhnmdahl

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• Apr 13, 2020

• #2

Nice work as always, Beau. I'm curious - did you choose hide glue over another glue (such as CA glue) for future serviceability, or for some other reason?

 

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Beau Hannam Ukuleles

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• Apr 13, 2020

• #3

Hot Hide Glue (HHG) is usually the go to for cracks.

Never use ca glue on soft woods as it stains.

You could use ca on a mahogany or koa top but you can get a darker line.

This is 1972-73 Martin so hide glue is best (titebond would also be perfect.)

The older the instrument, the more one should use HHG.

 

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jhnmdahl

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• Apr 13, 2020

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Ah, makes sense. I've used red top Titebond mostly for this kind of thing, and it's always cheaper to ask than to experiment

 

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fungusgeek

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• Apr 14, 2020

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Does the crack extend across the X brace? Does this mean that the brace may be loose, allowing the top to crack even though the brace crossed the region of the crack?

 

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Beau Hannam Ukuleles

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• Apr 14, 2020

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fungusgeek said:

Does the crack extend across the X brace? Does this mean that the brace may be loose, allowing the top to crack even though the brace crossed the region of the crack?

Click to expand...

It stopped before the x brace but went under a finger brace, which was totally unglued. I glued the top crack first then the finger brace (from memory?!?!). You could do it either way.

 

resoman

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• Apr 17, 2020

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I'm going to invest in those magnets. They're marvelous and I have a crack repair to do right now.
Thank you

 

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Beau Hannam Ukuleles

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• Apr 17, 2020

• #8

resoman said:

I'm going to invest in those magnets. They're marvelous and I have a crack repair to do right now.
Thank you

Click to expand...

I use these magnets all the time- they are expensive but I don't mind paying good $$$ for tools I use all the time.
I also recommend the brace jack:


For a hard to reach back brace (or any loose brace) I insert a small wedge to keep the loose brace "open" so to speak which makes getting glue in there easier.


I could also use these two tools but they are quite expensive. (I especially want the scissor jack- it is a great tool).

 

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fromthee2me

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• Apr 17, 2020

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You can get very strong magnets when you strip redundant Computer Hard Drives eg : Seagate