Gluing tweed

[Jon Anderson]

Maybe I'm just not getting something.

Is there any trick to applying the glue to tweed? I've been using contact cement (Dap Weldwood), and invariable, in some small spot, the cement will saturate the cloth, leaving a dark spot, even after it's dried. I hear accounts of people using wood glue. How can they apply it without saturating the cloth in places, leaving darker colored blotches?

The only thing I can think of is to totally saturate the cloth with glue. But this gives it a much darker color.

Is this just the way it is, when working with twill/tweed coverings?

Thanks,
Jon

[Satamax]

May be spray 3M 77 thingy contact cement?

[tonezoneonline]

Here's the best:
http://www.custompak.com/Merchant2/m...egory_Code=AD1

[Jon Anderson]

I ended up using a spray adhesive ( I don't remember what brand) for the first cabinet I did this way. It seemed to adhere OK, but still didn't seem to have the grip of contact cement. And unfortunately, the laquer that I later sprayed on later acted as a thinner/solvent for the spray adhesive, so I ended up with some 'saggy baggy' tweed.

Jon

[basicaudio]

I think the key is to use a thick glue. I used yellow wood glue that was very thick and it worked well. I know what you mean when you say that you got dark spots, when I "aged" a tweed covered cab I got a similar darkening because the shellac I used got uner the tweed and into the wood which caused the dark spots. If you are going to stain/age the tweed I would recommend either spraying on thin coats of the tinted laquer/shellac or brushing on a couple coats of clear and then the tinted finish. This will seal the fabric and then you can add the tinted coats which won't penetrate the tweed.

Most yellow carpenters glue will work fine. I've done two so far and they both were to my satisfaction.

[Mike F1]

I use water base contact cement. Takes a while to dry before you can apply but it does not stain. No "off gassing" either so you can use it inside with no issues.

[copperheadroads]

https://guitarscanada.com/index.php?...through.91377/
Here's a thread I started late last year & the weldbond ended up with the best results .

[Chuck H]

Well it seems to me that since Fender never had water based contact cement and they also didn't have trouble with blotches that there must be some mitigating factor. As a finisher I'll go ahead and speculate

I'll guess that Fender lacquered the tweed BEFORE application and then possibly an additional coat after. The lacquer would have sealed and darkened the surface of the tweed and helped to prevent bleeding to the surface and visible staining.

I vaguely remember reading a thread about "unsealed tweed" and I hadn't known before if there was a standard or not. I guess there's not. From what I read the unsealed tweed is a bitch. Sorry I can't recall many specifics or the site of the source thread, but there you go. So, if can't get it sealed you should probably seal it. If you don't have the benefit of a long term flexible product then you'd need to seal it and then glue it as soon as the sealer coat is set up. Otherwise you might have problems with finish sealer damage from flexing and bending. This is something to be considered since shellac, lacquer and poly products all get harder with time (in that order) and so could become damaged from too much flexing. My point is...

I don't think unsealed tweed prior to adhesion was the standard. I've read reports of problems and Fender surely had it worked out without modern products back in the day.