| Kenneth Michael Guitars est.1978 |
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| Top or Back Jointing ---- glue up fixture |
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| If you do not have a jointing machine, a good quality joint can still be accomplished using a shooting board. This is simply a piece of MDF 12” x 24” x ¾ “ with a piece of 1” x 2” material screwed to one edge. The 1” x 2” has 220 grit sand paper glued to the inside surface. Just glide the mating surfaces along the abrasive, with uniform pressure. Check your progress by putting the edges together and looking at the joint into a light. The joint must be PERFECT with no light showing through. |
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| For the base fixture I use a piece of 24” x 24” x ¾” MDF with a stop block screwed on at one end. In the area where the joint is going to be there are several rows of regular clear packaging tape. Over the years I discovered that this type of tape acts as a release material for just about any adhesive. |
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| You will also need a piece of 1” x 2” x 26” with one side covered with tape to place over the joint while clamping. |
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| The actual clamping force is generated by wedging the two halves together with pieces of builder’s shims (Home Depot). Clamp three pieces of wood scrap along the edge of the top/back spacing them with shims about half way along the scrap pieces. Maintain the angle of the shim. |
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Apply the adhesive of choice to both mating surfaces; slide back and forth to make sure there is complete coverage. I use “Tite-Bond” for just about everything, guitars, dulcimers, harps, zithers, furniture --- whatever. Over all the years I have never had a complaint regarding joint failures or incompatibility problems with any finishing product. |
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| Clean off the excess glue --- saves time later! |
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| Lightly clamp the joint board in place. |
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| Re- position the shims – progressively tap them to apply pressure to the top/back. The joint board should be tightened slightly also. |
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| After the adhesive has dried the Manufacturer’s prescribe amount of time release the top/back from the fixture by first removing the shims than the joint board. If done in reverse you run the risk of the top/back snapping in the middle --- Then you will end up doing the operation for a second time!! |
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