# Glueing Osage Orange and its stability?



## Blueglass (Feb 13, 2014)

Kevin sent me some Osage Orange and if I can resaw it I may get 2 drums out of it. If I were to resaw it should I expect much twist or anything? I have made drums out of 3/4" staves before but wouldn't want to plane much more than that.

I first ran into gluing problems described in an article about a bass made for Phil Lesh made mainly out of Osage. I since ran into it in an article about hard to glue woods. Has anyone had any difficulty and how would you deal with it? Acetone wipe?


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## Kevin (Feb 13, 2014)

I've glued up quite a bit of osage and I've never had any trouble with it. I started out gluing it in '90ish using plain old Elmers wood glue even and never had trouble with it. I graduated to TBI, II, and III but any decent wood glue will work provided the joints are flat and tight - like any wood. That osage I sent you is not going to move. It's been dry for years.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Fret440 (Feb 14, 2014)

I second what Kevin said. I would not use an acetone wipe, this would encourage more oil to the surface. Just make sure it's a good joint and that the exposed wood is fresh when you go for glue up... In other words, don't sand it to where you want it and wait a few days before gluing. Sand/scrape, wipe with dry cloth, glue immediately. At least this is what I do with difficult woods and it works.

Jacob


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## Blueglass (Feb 14, 2014)

Sweet thanks. Most of what I had seen said easy to glue but after hearing about Phil Lesh's Alembic coming apart I worried a bit. I had never had any problems with a glue joint until last week. It was Cocobolo on my Mahogany and colobolo striped drum shell. I glued it right back up with out it going out of round or even being able to feel the joint. I now wish I had went and got Gorilla glue or epoxy for it. I love that shell and am now worried about it. I guess the worst that can happen is I'll slowly end up re glueing the whole thing? 

Thanks Jacob your adivice will help me with tough woods in the future


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## Fret440 (Feb 14, 2014)

Fresh titebond should be adequate as long as the surfaces are well mated and you follow that process. If you are worried about the joint, you could heat a butter knife or thin spatula and work it slowly into the joint until the glue releases and you can start over. If you didn't notice glue failure immediately, you are probably okay... unless you regularly leave it in the car...

Jacob


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## barry richardson (Feb 14, 2014)

Like Kevin, I've worked with it quite a bit and never had a problem, in fact it glues very well. Osage is some awful heavy wood to use for a guitar body, Phil Lesh must have been a brute for punishment, considering the Dead shows used to last 4+ hours...

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Blueglass (Feb 14, 2014)

Fret440 said:


> Fresh titebond should be adequate as long as the surfaces are well mated and you follow that process. If you are worried about the joint, you could heat a butter knife or thin spatula and work it slowly into the joint until the glue releases and you can start over. If you didn't notice glue failure immediately, you are probably okay... unless you regularly leave it in the car...
> 
> Jacob


It was out in the garage. I'm not sure somone didn't knock it around or something. I would have thought the grain would let loose first though. It had been glued up for around 6 months. I may have tightened the clamps too much? It was fresh Titebond and I did not wipe that one down. Don't think the joints were fresh cut though. The Black Locust w/ ABW stripes I glued up the same day (wiped the ABW down) is fine. Who knows? Just another learning experience.


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## Fret440 (Feb 14, 2014)

Could be a particularly oily cocobolo? I had a cocobolo fretboard do it once. Same type of thing. When I got it removed from the neck, two things were clear: 1) I had the clamps too tight, 2) the glue failed, not the wood. The glue had also turned a pretty nasty color, it looked like the oil had just seeped right into it (what glue was still in the joint was green and black). That board, was wiped with alcohol before gluing. Before gluing a second time, I did some research with some guitar building forums. Apparently, wiping with something like acetone or alcohol to 'clean the grain' is a myth. What are you cleaning? Sand or scrape and wipe with a dry lint-free cloth just prior to gluing. This will give the best results as per luthiers around the globe. 

Jacob

Reactions: Thank You! 2 | Informative 1


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## barry richardson (Feb 14, 2014)

Good to know, I've always heard the same "myth"


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## Blueglass (Feb 14, 2014)

I've thought that next time I use it I may sand the glue joint with something rough like 40 grit to create more area for the glue to get into.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Kevin (Feb 14, 2014)

Don't over-think it Les. Osage is not an oily wood and properly prepared glue joints will not separate. Wenge on the other hand . . . .

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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