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Today I glued the fretboard on my neck-through. I had it glued and clamped, but after putting all of the camps on, I realized that dispite my best efforts, the fretboard had been pulled off-center by the clamps. I pulled the fretboard off, re-sanded what I could, and rea-applied glue before the original glue had completely dried (or so I thought). I shaped the back of the neck and after I was satisfied with everything, it came time to do a quick run over the sides of the fretboard to get rid of the dry glue which had previously squeesed out between the neck and the fretboard. NONE OF THE FRETBOARD IS ACTUALLY IN CONTACT WITH THE NECK. It is quite clear that I will be removing the fretboard, re-sanding, and re-gluing. Does anybody have any tips for fretboard removal? ANYTHING would help. This guitar is a neck-through so if I mess up here it could trash my whole build

You didn't say what kind of glue you are using Alex. From your post I'm guessing it is titebond or something similar. It can be released with a little heat and encouragement from a thin blade. most adhesives used in luthiery will release around 180 degrees.
Just take your time and let the heat do its thing. You'll be fine.

Cecil

Hi, Alex. Are you pinning the fretboard when you glue it? I drill four tiny holes in fret slots--two
in a slot near the head, and two in a slot near the body. Then I tap wire brads through these holes and into the neck stock (well away from the truss rod). Just an eighth of an inch is enough to keep the fretboard from shifting, no matter how slick the glue might be. Do a dry clamp up first, to locate the brads and start their holes in the neck stock. You'll find the holes very easily after you've spread glue. Then a light tap on each brad to seat it a little deeper. Then apply your clamp pressure. Later, the brads pull out very easily and the holes are covered by the fret wire. After you get everything cleaned up, try this when you re-glue. On a recent madolin we pre-fretted the board, but held out two frets for this purpose until after the glue-up. It worked great.

If you don't mind making a new fretboard and don't want to use heat you can plane it off, and when you get close finish by sanding.

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i have only glued 4-5 fingerboards, ever, and i have had the same "floating" issues....i like the brad-thru-the-fret-slot soilution! thanks

Thanks for all of the advvice. I got the fretboard off without damaging the neck/guitar but I absolutely ruined the fretboard in the process (warping). Im going to make another and try drilling those holes and sticking in brads. Ill be posting some new photos of my build soon (thread name is "Telecaster Abomination"). Im hoping to have this guitar completely finished before I go off to college (freshman year!) but Im really not sure if that will be possible. I wont be able to start finishing until monday evening and that only leaves me seven days to do the whole finishing process, polish, and wire. not looking good (looks like Ill be finishing this build in november)

What type of finish you want to put on it?

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

Ouch! This is where I go back to the "Measure 300 times, sleep on it, study some more, meditate on it, measure 25 more times (Or in your case clamp) then I jump on it - sorry to hear ya lost a fretboard - I like the hole/brad theory - I may do that on guitar #2 - I used Titebond on mine and kept on checking to see if the board wasn't moving.... had a couple tiny gaps on the edges that were minuscule, and filled them with CA. Keep it going bro - you can do it!

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I bought five or six of these about 3 years ago and have not had a sliding fretboard problem. I put these on first to make sure the board cannot move, then I apply more preasure with normal clamps where needed. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Speci ... Clamp.html

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~shad peters

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I used titebond 1 to attach the fretboard and I plan to put a behlen nitrocellulose finish on it. The spraying will begin monday after I attach the new board!

The technique I use to keep the fretboard from sliding is to use a staple gun and put a staple into the back of the fret board, and then cut it off with just a little bit sticking out. Line it up, press it into the neck and it won't slide any direction. I tried the whole brad point nail thing but found that it still allowed the fretboard to move. Maybe I had to big of a whole drilled in the fret slot, but the nail would just wobble. The staple works like a champ.

John

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John Thiessen
http://www.iszacguitars.com

I also gave myself opportunity to remove a fretboard for the same reason, but I did have a brad in there, the second time I used drill bits, drilled 2 holes with 2 bits, removed them and flipped them so the shaft was the index pin, worked better then the brad and small drill bits are cheap and come in packs of 2 at my hardware store. Don't get discouraged.
Rob

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The way that I glue my fretboards on is to get some 2" spring clamps like this http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R ... ogId=10053 and put them on the far ends of the board. Then I start my c-clamps in the middle of the board and work my way outword, being sure to check my lining up marks as I place a new clamp. Always go from the middle out or you'll have problems.