Laminating top question

Please put your pickup/wiring discussions in the Electronics section; and put discussions about repair issues, including "disappearing" errors in new instruments, in the Repairs section.
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Brian Evans
Posts: 922
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2014 8:26 am
Location: Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia

Laminating top question

Post by Brian Evans »

I have a Godin Artisan TC tele-style electric that is a bit of a plain-jane, just finished in creme lacquer that is distressed now. It's a superb playing guitar, so I am thinking of a bit of a refresh for it. I want to plane it down by 3/16" (it has a german re-curve around the outside that is about 3/16 deep, so take that out to flat) and laminate on a spalted maple cap. My issue is the cap is glued up, but has a potato chip warp on one side, it curls about 1/2" to 3/4" over 8". I can kill the warp with water on one side, but it always comes back, I've been trying to get it flat enough for a dobro back for a long time, no dice. If I glue that onto a perfect flat surface like the planed body is going to be, is glue strength enough to keep it flat? What glue would I use for the best result? I have epoxy and Titebond II on hand, but I can get anything.
Marshall Dixon
Posts: 169
Joined: Tue May 21, 2019 8:58 pm
Location: SW Oregon

Re: Laminating top question

Post by Marshall Dixon »

Brian Evans wrote: Sat Sep 05, 2020 8:43 am
If I glue that onto a perfect flat surface like the planed body is going to be, is glue strength enough to keep it flat? What glue would I use for the best result? I have epoxy and Titebond II on hand, but I can get anything.
I think the holding strength of either of those would be strong enough to hold it flat. I would favor the epoxy in this situation for it's water proof qualities. On the other hand, introducing some moisture into the wood might make it more compliant to clamping pressure.

We did some repair work on our old wooden drift boat in early summer. The plywood bottom had some leaks where it meets the inner chine of the sides. We tipped the boat an it's side and poured some West System epoxy where side meets back, so that it filled about 1 1/2" up the side and bottom with no reinforcement. The boat has seen high usage this summer and these sections between the transoms have held up without separation.
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