Glue cleanup on Ribs

[John Hartman]

Erwinspiano@aol.com wrote:
>   For those of you who are pressing your own soundboards I'd like to 
> compare notes as to how you all go about cleaning up the glue squeeze at 
> the glue joints. I've done it two ways.
>     I've  used a go- bar deck and currently a fire hose neumatic press. 
> Cleanup with a go-bar deck as you go is easy because of access but with 
> a pneum. press the 2 by 6s are in the way. It's possible just awkward 
> and have done it alot.
>     I've typically taped off the rim and rib glue jointson the bottom of 
> the board, pinned the ribs to the board, then I tape over the rib ends 
> before spraying on a coat of shellac. I find that this makes glue 
> cleanup easier and resist moisture absorption I've usually have used 
> cold hide glue and tried to limit the glue squezze out. Then I wipe it 
> up/off with damp/dry paper towells.
>   I recently used tight bond 2 to glue up ribs on a S&S B.  I waited 
> till the glue squeeze beads jelled. After about 4 hr.s a sharp chisel 
> was used to cleanup the excess(which was like strings of rubber) but I 
> was un happy with the minor damage to the panel. A final sanding and one 
> more coat of shellac is applied before final finish but.....
>     The upside to hide glue is ease of cleanup. The down side is using 
> some moisture in cleanup as  the board is ribbed which can be moderated 
> by drying the board a bit more before pressing.
>    I like the idea and strength of the tight bond 2. It does not cleanup 
> as eaily with the towell method however.
>     Ideas?


Dale,

I use a go bar deck, it is fast, simple and versatile. I clean up the 
glue one rib at a time. My hands can reach between the ribs with the 
bars on.  I use hot hide glue,I have never had a problem with using 
water to clean it off. The added moisture takes several hours to begin 
to effect the panel and even so it does not raise the moisture content 
very much. By then the glue would be sufficiently set any way. With hot 
hide glue you can safely remove the clamps in under one hour. It takes 
two of us about 40 minutes to completly glue up on a good size 
soundboard. The photos on my web sit show ribbing a S&S B.

[link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015]

[link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015]

Seems like you have a lot of extra work to solve this problem. Would it 
be best in the long run to re-engineer your press so you can get you 
hand in there to clean off the glue? Maybe you could glue every other 
rib so there will be more room. This means gluing the ribs in two passes 
but I see no problem with this except added time. Recently I needed to 
do this while ribbing a Mason and Hamlin BB. The ribs in the treble were 
close together so I took two passes to rib the treble section.

John Hartman RPT

John Hartman Pianos
[link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015]
Rebuilding Steinway and Mason & Hamlin
Grand Pianos Since 1979

Piano Technicians Journal
Journal Illustrator/Contributing Editor
[link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015]