Official Luthiers Forum!

Why can't someone make a hide glue stick that would go in a low temp glue gun?

Why can't someone make micro line bwb purfling in a 100' roll?

Some things in this business are really crude. You have any good ideas that someone should do?

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http://goatrockukulele.com

one very good explanation is there isn't a demand for this plus Hot Hide glue doen't have the molecular structure to allow it . As for the laminated perfling , again the cost of the product is exceeding the demand . The ABS plastic that is used in this industry is sold in sheets and it then gets cut into the strips.
It would be nice to be able to but rolls of purfling but the cost of making the dies to extrude and then laminate this would not be cheap but I do agree , it would be nice.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Not enough demand to pay the bills.

I can envision a design for a hot hide glue gun. As John has noted, it couldn't work like a normal glue gun. After the basic development costs we'd need a guaranteed 1500-2000 customers willing to buy a gun at $125-150 each (wholesale) or $250 retail to make any profit. Or maybe 10K customers at a lower price.

Like most extruded stuff, the trick with purfling is that there aren't enough guitars being built with the stuff to even justify the cost of setting up the machinery. I've got at least 50,000 guitars worth (if not 2-3X that) of custom-extruded black side dot material in a roll in my shop...selling the stuff would probably be more hassle than what I'd get for it. If you know someone, though...

I'd be really keen to see the books at StewMac or LMII on sales of specific items, to see the sort of market there is for very luthier-specific tools and materials. Kevin's done alright with the zip-flex, but it's a high markup item with relatively simple manufacture and he did most of the work for his own use before he started selling it. I wonder how many benders Brad Way would need to sell (if he decides to) to offset what the engineering costs would have been (had he been paying himself for his time)?

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

I am thinking a gun could be made for hide glue if that glue batch is only going to be used for the day and thrown out. However it would need a hopper like a spray gun instead of using pre-made stick. I don't think its necessary since I can put the glue in a small plastic bottle and hold the glue inside a hot water bath.

Besides, most people opt to use titebond or white glue for general woodworking, so a specialized product might be too expensive.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
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