verhoevenc Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 I was wondering how to go about undoing a glue joint I just made with titebond in it? Does titebond loosen up with that heat method like hide glue? It's been less than 24 hours for the joint, maybe like... 5 right now? How do I get these two pieces apart (it's a scarf neck joint). Also, if that heat/steam method does work for Titebond, will it warp my wood? (mahogany) Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanb Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 Heat and steam, yes. Go very slowly. If it has only been 5 hours, it is far from fully cured -- that should help. The sooner you do it the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted November 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 what do you mean go slowly? And would putting it above my stove with like a pot of water boiling under it work for heat and steam?? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 Steam the glue. A tea kettle is probably better for this as it will allow you a more centralized area of steam(realized that you'll have to allow the wood time to dry after this procedure). As the glue starts to soften, use a putty knife(or something simular) to wedge inbetween the two pieces of wood and eventual seperate them from eachother. peace, russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted November 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 Ok, I've been going at it for like 15 minutes now, sitting the glue joint over a VERY steamy hot pot, and all I've managed to do with my knife is crack some of the wood on the sides where I COULD get it in (thankfully those parts will be routed off when I shape it in the end). Chris Any hints?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted November 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 OK, that SO didn't work.... I'm just gunna re-cut that loint... Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javacody Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 Wow verhoevenc, that gives me some faith in using titebond! LOL I hope everything turns out ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M_A_T_T Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 (edited) LOTS of heat. If it were me I'd get out my clothes iron I use specifically for this. Run the iron over the faces of the wood at the joint, leaving it in one spot for several minutes to transfer the heat all the way through, use a putty knife to wedge them apart, could take a long time. Edited November 4, 2005 by M_A_T_T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 Heat, forget moisture for the present. A scarf joint presents a lot of end grain area, so moisture will be drawn into your neck wood - bad news. Besides, titebond is much more vulnerable to heat than moisture. Place a sheet of aluminium foil over the joint surface, and sit a domestic iron on it. Highest heat setting, no steam. Slip a razor blade into the edge of the joint, slowly working it in, then try to get a palette knife in there once it's open enough. Go slow, or you'll split off more chunks, and that's a PITA. Any bits you break off, set aside, and reglue later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted November 4, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 Naw, I'm just getting out the trusty bandsaw and sander today and re-cutting it, much simpler that way I think. Chris PS: How long do I need to let my wood "dry" after that steaming last night, cause it seems really dry already? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveq Posted November 4, 2005 Report Share Posted November 4, 2005 I know you gave up on ungluing it but just in case someone does a search on this: Placing it over a steaming pot would take a long time - if it would ever work at all. From my experience (I've had to remove more fretboards than I'd like to admit), the heat needs to be applied directly to the wood and it needs to be extremely hot. A clothes iron set to max heat (as mentioned above) placed directly on the wood (or sometimes I use spare fret wire) will get the job done. You can't force it to the point where you're breaking pieces off either - you just need to keep applying pressure with the razor, then the knife (or whatever you are using) until it feels like it won't go further. Stop advancing the knife, heat it for a few more minutes and continue. It will come apart fairly clean if you are patient. Unfortunately, I've become pretty good at doing this - at least with fretboards. I haven't tried a scarf joint. (I've been experimenting with different methods of LED mounting and fiber optic installation ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted November 6, 2005 Report Share Posted November 6, 2005 I've taken off a couple of fingerboards using the iron method, and it worked great. The only thing was I was just saving the fingerboard wood and not the neck. We'll a friend of mine didn't quite like the way his fingerboard glued to his neck, so I told him how to take it off. He took of the fingerboard and ended up regluing it to the same neck wood, everything looked to be good. Four months later a mysterious blue streak appeared along the edges of the neck wood, and all we can figure out is that the moisture from the steam iron did it, so I can see where Setch is coming from with the steam warning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jehle Posted November 6, 2005 Report Share Posted November 6, 2005 Erm, why are you trying to separate these two pieces? :? Just curious if it's better to start over with another piece or work with what you have at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted November 6, 2005 Report Share Posted November 6, 2005 Erm, why are you trying to separate these two pieces? :? Just curious if it's better to start over with another piece or work with what you have at this point. ← I agree, I think since he's just starting the neck, I'd either. 1. Bandsaw the two pieces apart, then fix them before gluing them back together. 2. Scrap the wood for this project and start over with a new piece of wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted November 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2005 exactly, I just ended up doing option 1 and am going to build a scarf-joint router jig as described in another thread. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted November 7, 2005 Report Share Posted November 7, 2005 There's a product that I pick up at Harper Hardware Co in Richmond, Va called De-Glue Goo. It is a nasty slimey looking mess that will dissolve any glue that was originally water based, especially if it hasn't set for years. The set yp stuff takes longer but will eventually give up. Costs about $5. Turns the glue into jello. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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