MIMF

Do you know the method we are talking about??

Chuck, I would like to know more about this (tape) method. I have used the nail "baton" method thus far, but I was thinking about making a jig with cam clamps or something.
I've seen this string method before from European luthiers - especially in the early instrument world. I always thought it looked like too much work. I'm glad to see several others here seem to agree. I also never saw the pyrotechnics before. Looks cool, but like the string, I would never do it.

Mark, take a look at the video Ryan posted. That's pretty much how I do it though I am not as neat about it as Chris Paulack is. I get it done quick and deal with the squeeze out when I thickness the plate. Do yourself a favor and tear out plenty of tape strips and have them hanging off the end of the bench before you apply the glue.

I looked at Chris's video. Good, but more complicated than it needs to be. On the back side, I use a couple of strips across, top and bottom, like he does to hold alignment while I put one strip of wide tape down the middle. Flip it, hold the plates up in the center so it forms a V pointing at you. Apply the glue in the crack. Drop the plate flat. Press down along the edges in the center to make sure that the plate halves are aligned with each other against the table. If they want to bow up, put a weight on it. Sometimes, I come back in a few minutes and scrape off the squeeze out with a chisel held at right angles to the surface. If I forget to clean up, the sander will take care of it later. That's it. It almost takes longer to read this than to do it.

Don't sand it for a week or two to let all of the moisture out.

Yea - what Bob does. Super simple and effective.