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 I was talking to the owner of Quality Vakuum Products about a vacuum clamping system for gluing on braces and he told me some of his luthier clients use his clamps to make sides using bent lamination. Has anyone had any experience with this. I think it would work but I have questions about grain direction and if the say 3 layers of veneer could all be oriented in the same direction. Some of Martins Guitars have laminated parts how are they done?

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Mistakes are mandatory-learning from them is optional. http://www.opensourceluthiersupply.com

I've seen those vacuum clamping systems and they are pretty cool for doing bracing glue up, etc. They are used a lot in the composites industry to form the composite materials while they are setting up.

I'm not familiar with the company that you are talking about, but I believe that most industrial bent laminations are done using RF (Radio Frequency) glue presses. This stuff takes a set literally in seconds or maybe a minute or two at most. Basically, the lamination layers are coated with glue and then put into the press where they are clamped onto a form. Then radio frequency waves are directed towards the part and this sets the glue.

I believe this is how they do stuff like skateboards, laminated archtop guitar tops, etc...

With regard to Martin...their laminated necks are made from a birch laminate that is also used for gun stocks, knife scales, etc. Their "synthetic" sides are actually not a wood laminate...they are more like countertop veneer. They don't even bend them until they glue them to the back or the top...the stuff is flimsy enough that they can just bend it when they go to glue it up.

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http://www.PeakeGuitars.com

I make laminated sides, but not with vacuum.. I have thought about it though.

I make mine out of two sets of quartersawn tonewood grade lumber. I have experimented with putting a sheet of Tyvek between them (to help eliminate cracks running). I am not sure if I will keep doing that or not though..

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

It is a company in MA and I was just a Dave Nichols shop at Custom Pearl Inlay and he uses one. His works off his compresser. web address is https://www.qualityvak.com/index.html

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Mistakes are mandatory-learning from them is optional. http://www.opensourceluthiersupply.com