Fretboard Glue-up

[Peter Wilcox]

When you say you are "jigging up the neck" into a slight forward bow, are you bending the neck/putting it under tension, then gluing on the fret board? If so, the residual tension in the neck (toward back bow) might be causing the glue to creep, ending up in a back bow.

[Barry Daniels]

The idea that using epoxy is like adding a plastic sheet is erroneous. It will fix the problem you are having. Just have to reset your brain to remove the epoxy bias.

[David King]

I use polyurethane glue. Clamps come off in an hour, same clamping pressure as Titebond, no creep, no moisture introduced. Fingerboards pop off at the joint when absolutely necessary. Most epoxy is reversible with application of sustained heat of 160º-180º F.

You might consider redesigning your fingerboard radiusing system to accommodate the fingerboard and neck as a unit. Trim fret barbs if you go to a harder wood or cut kerfs a couple of .001" wider.
I'd look at denser woods that are more RH stable for your fingerboards. Osage comes to mind.

[Mark Wybierala]

I think you jig idea had merit -- I get it -- but not a good idea. I don't fully understand the Titebond/backbow problem but I've encountered it myself and have a client under my wing who encounters it all the time. He brings me necks so I can refine his fretwork and without fail, there is always a slight amount of backbow. Even with a dual action trussrod, I don't like it as it puts the neck into a condition of uncertainty -- somehow seems less heathy than a neck in balance between string tension and trussrod control -- corrupts the mojo

[David King]

I clamp my fingerboards on with relief but they always spring back almost straight when I take the clamps off. I add more relief when i sand the radius. By the time the frets are in they are almost straight again.

[Dan Smith]

Happens to me all the time.
Can’t understand why.
I use a flat clamping caul and glue the board to the neck when both pieces are still flat before radius and carving.
I reckon glue could be the problem, such as expansion and shrinkage that happens when gluing veneer with Titebond. (i now use veneer glue).
Thanks for the insight.

[Barry Daniels]

Titebond contains water. Water expands wood. Pretty simple. Some glues (like epoxy) do not contain water and so the wood remains stable.

[Peter Wilcox]

WTF happened to the OP? It weren't me.

[Barry Daniels]

We must have scared him off? And he took his posts with him? Strange.