Ladder-braced parlor guitar

[Dave Bagwill]

Bonnie@aitwood.com
800-454-6270

They sell an 8x4' piece (don't get the 4x8, it wastes some wood) rolled up and mailed in a 12"x12"x4' box!

[Lonnie B]

That's some pretty awesome stuff. Techknowledgy is amazing

[Dave Bagwill]

Explosion.
I mentioned to Ken Cierp that I posted that I use West Systems Epoxy to laminate sides - and I usually do. But on this guitar I decided to use a different adhesive; I did not want to say what early on, until I had some time to see how it held up.
The sides started to delaminate yesterday.
Do NOT use titebond for this type of lamination.
You live, you learn, you move ahead.
So I've contacted my friend for whom I am building, and we are going to proceed with either a new scratch build OR using a reclaimed back and sides that I have been restoring and will refinish, in a 00-12 size, eir, that I would top with a ladder-braced redwood that is killer.
I will stay posting!!

[ken cierp]

Bummer!

I wonder if their slow dry stuff is made for laminations? Are you going to contact them (Franklin) and ask WT## might have happened?

[Dave Bagwill]

I am going to contact them and will post their response.
Titebond is a great glue; when I said don't use it for this purpose, I was speaking out of frustration. Operator error is always a possibility - in this case, I applied titebond the same way I would epoxy. I will find out from Franklin if it was me or the glue.

[Lonnie B]

That seems strange Dave. Tote bond is good stuff. Hmmmm!! Curiouser and curiouser.

[Dave Bagwill]

Here is the email I sent a couple of minutes ago:

Hello - I make and sell acoustic guitars here in Medford, Oregon.
Part of my process is laminating the material for the sides - 3 laminates, .045", .025" and another .025", glued and then put on a form inside a vacuum bag.
I have been using West Systems Epoxy without any problems, but on my current instrument I decided to use titebond Original, which I rolled onto the laminates in the same way I do the epoxy, and vacuum pressed the same way.
After a couple of days, the sides began to delaminate.
I'm a big fan of original titebond, but could it be that there is another of your products that is specifically designed for this purpose? Please keep in mind that guitar sides are curvy and must be bent onto a mold.
Thanks. I will post your answer on the acoustic guitar construction forum that I belong to - a number of other builders are interested as well!

Dave Bagwill
Medford, Oregon