Cleaning Glue Off Neck/fretboard

[hendrix2430]

Hi, I just clamped on an IRW fretboard on a neck for my project, and the glue just squeezed out like crazy. Some of it obviously remained right under the edge of the fingerboard, but some also dripped onto the back carve of the neck. I have wiped a tiny bit away, but decided to wait until I take off the clamps (I will keep it clamped for 2 whole days).

So my question is:

Do you try and clean the glue:

-right after clamping when the glue is still fresh. And in this case, do you try to get it all away, or ar least the overwhelming majority of it?

-While the neck is clamped and the fingerboard/neck glue bond is already very tight?

-Or after you take off the clamp and trimming the edges of the fingerboard to neck size?

I plan to do number 3. I'd rather just leave the neck alone until I take the clamps off.

I tried to check the consistensy of the glue on the sides of the neck and in the back, and it's very thick and gooey, almost plastic like. The gluing was done about 3 hours ago.

What would you clean the wood glue off with. I fear that there will be some marks, which won't go away. It's the first time I do this, so I don't know what to expect.

Based on your experience, is such glue easy to take off, and goes away completely?

Thanks!

Edited March 24, 2005 by hendrix2430

[thedoctor]

Well, I guess that would depend on what kind of glue it is.

[RGGR]

I'm using Titebond type glue and whipe most away as soon as possible.

Whipe most disturbing drips with damp cloth, making sure I don't suck the glue out of the joint.

[bassman]

Next time tape off every little bit of wood on which you do not want the glue to get on. Use some blue painters tape- it is easy to remove.

[Devon Headen]

Wait for the glue to dry. If you wipe it while it's wet, it's likely to smear everywhere and you'll never get it all off. If you wait until it's dry, you can scrape it off pretty easily.

[hendrix2430]

Thanks guys, I think I will wait until I clamp the neck off. Then I will clean the mess off with some solvent.

Edited March 25, 2005 by hendrix2430

[Devon Headen]

Don't use solvent, just scrape it off. Titebond is waterbased anyway, so water is it's solvent.

[hendrix2430]

Thanks Devon, I just removed the clamps, and the glue is hard as a rock! By the way the glue is NOT tidebond. It's similar. It clearly says on the box to remove FRESH glue with water and dry glue with a solvent or diluant.

I still have to trim the fingerboard to neck size, which I'm doing as we speak. However, the glue is still there and it's bothering me. It's hard to trim the board because the glue gets in the way a little...

Plus, there is some glue on the back of the neck too, mixed with some rosewood wood dust...

Anyway, I don't know if sanding would work, but I don't want to change the carve of the neck, which I had already done (mistake maybe...). The carve is a fatback with a full .100 across so I guess I could trim it bit, but I would rather not.

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions guys, I'm dying over here LOL.

[RGGR]

Plus, there is some glue on the back of the neck too, mixed with some rosewood wood dust... sad.gif

You might wanna work tad more cleaner neck time. Instead of smearing glue everywhere. And yep, glue on back of the neck should have been taken of right away.

My advice.....get stuff off as soon as possible.......Much easier than when solid and dry.

[Devon Headen]

I do it when it's dry because it's neater in my opinion. If you have squeeze out all over the place you should probably get it up wet. For me when I dry to get it off when it's wet it smears all over the wood, so I have a large area to scrape. If I leave it alone (usually just a bead along the edge) until it's dry, I can pare it off with a chisel leaving no evidence that there was any squeeze out. And yes, personally I always shape the neck after the fretboard is on.

[unclej]

you're in for a bit of work but glue can been sucessfully cleaned with a scraper..your local hardware store will have them in the paint department but one of my favorites is a broken piece of glass with at least one straight edge. clamp or brace your neck so that you can use both hands and gently start scraping in long strokes and the glue will come right off. i stress gently so that you won't be taking too much wood with it. once you get the big chunks off you're going to have to sand some but again be gently and you won't change your neck profile.

and remember, glue squeeze out is something we all have to deal with so you're definitely not the first one to have this problem. but next time take a damp cloth, if it's carpenter's glue, and wipe up as much as you can just after you clamp and your final clean up will be much easier.

good luck.

[hendrix2430]

Hi guys, thanks I've been working at it since I posted and I removed most of it with White spirit (I think it's Naphta in the US). I made sure not too put any inside the fretboard/neck joint. I simply too some tissues with naphta on it, then rubbed the back of the neck and the edges where the glue was. Then I just sanded the hell out of the thing until most of the wood dust/glue marks were gone.

At the present time, there is some glue lines where the fretboard and neck meet, of about 1 mm (1/25"). I plan to finish the back and headstock in nitro so we'll see how that works out. But for the time being, I'll continue to sand the sides until the fretboard and neck edges form one uniform plane (it's almost there).

Alright, thanks for you guys' suggestions. You're the best!