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Post by antares on Sept 16, 2022 8:01:58 GMT -6
Well, what would Dane do? What would Eddie do?  I can see drizzle and cleats here, but before I make free with my ham fisted claws, I'm going to defer to my favourite acknowledged experts! Edit: I should note that this is a couple of grand instrument ... でつ e&oe ... |
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Post by dnic on Sept 16, 2022 8:43:20 GMT -6
Well, what would Dane do? What would Eddie do? I can see drizzle and cleats here, but before I make free with my ham fisted claws, I'm going to defer to my favourite acknowledged experts! Edit: I should note that this is a couple of grand instrument ... でつ e&oe ...Sorry Steve I'm not sure what you're asking. Are you removing cleats from this Mando? And if so why? And can you add pics please? Now I see a pic! Ok, the cleats are normal back reinforcement. Generally centered on a guitar. That brace has a crack that's moved enough to have a step on top. I would add a splint to the back side so it's not so noticeable from the sound hole. Flat sawn material so that when in place on the side it will orientate a quarter sawn. It would be nice to get some glue in the crack as well. And is the brace still stuck to the back? If not you need to work some glue under there. |
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Post by antares on Sept 16, 2022 9:06:34 GMT -6
I hadn't thought about the brace being delaminated Dane- good call. I was focused on the crack. Hmm. Well I'm going to be away from home for a week so that'll give me some time to think about it. Access is "do-able" but the mandolin has a small soundhole so it's far from being a straightforward repair.
This instrument has been cosseted inside a fibreglass "Calton" case all of its 20 years of existence. I reckon that it has just dried out, possibly related to the extraordinarily hot spell of weather this Summer. Calton cases are the shiznitz with a price tag to match!
Thanks for the insight Dane.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2022 10:26:53 GMT -6
Since you asked... To fix the crack, here is what I would do;
I am guessing you have some way of clamping? I would take some water and moisten the crack to help glue to leach into the crack. You can use Titebond or CA, Think I would go with the wood glue. Push as much glue in to the crack as possible. You may have to work on it some to get the glues to squeeze all the way through. If you have a clamp wide enough, then clamp from one side of the body to the other and clamp until you see some squeeze out.
Let that set overnight. I think I would cleat it on the back side of the crack. Make a cleat then glues and clamp or tape in on and let that sit overnight. Should be good to go. Do clean up as needed.
That is how I would go about it.
Or you could try and remove the brace and make a new one. Harder to do, much more involved. I fixed a few acoustic guitars with somewhat of the same problem. I would ask my customers how much they wanted to spend on the fix.
But it looks like a flaw in the wood to me. The thing I have learned in stringed instruments is that sometimes it takes for a flaw in the wood to show up. Even years. I remember a Fender Strat I worked on. The neck had a bad twist in it. It had to be replaced. The owner of that guitar had that guitar for like 15 years with no issues. Then one day he picked it up to play it and BAM! The neck was twisted. Wound up buying A new Fender neck for it since it was a USA Fender.
I lost count on how many Martin, and Taylor Acoustic guitars I worked on with cracked tops and backs. That is why I won't own one.
Well, good luck with the fix. Hope you can get it done. You Can do it!
EB
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Post by dnic on Sept 16, 2022 10:45:41 GMT -6
I hadn't thought about the brace being delaminated Dane- good call. I was focused on the crack. Hmm. Well I'm going to be away from home for a week so that'll give me some time to think about it. Access is "do-able" but the mandolin has a small soundhole so it's far from being a straightforward repair. This instrument has been cosseted inside a fibreglass "Calton" case all of its 20 years of existence. I reckon that it has just dried out, possibly related to the extraordinarily hot spell of weather this Summer. Calton cases are the shiznitz with a price tag to match! Thanks for the insight Dane. I don't think this was a weather only problem. As Eddie pointed out the brace looks flawed. It looks like the brace has very severe runout. Which would be very strange for an instrument of this quality. Should be quarter sawn and straight grained. |
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Post by antares on Sept 16, 2022 11:17:33 GMT -6
When you said "flaw in the wood" did you mean that the grain was perhaps not exactly optimally selected for the job in hand? It looks as though the crack went from the inside of the cutaway which from metal working I know to be a point of failure and hence we used to put relief holes in such locations.
As you'd expect, I have 1" Record "G" clamps, 1" toolmakers clamps and I have Klico clamps too, although the later needs a pliers like tool to apply and I probably won't be able to get that in.
If all else fails, I have a couple of murderously strong Neodymium magnets which I bought to reactivate a P90 pickup after using a 100 Watts heat gun to solder the "ground" wire on the base plate, but in the end the pickup turned out to be just fine.
I kind of knew what to do, but do you know what? it's great to get real knowledgeable advice (if only as confirmation) and I totally missed the elephant in the room that you spotted Dane. Moreover, I would have launched off without thinking into Araldite so thanks for that tip too. I do have some TiteBond original here that I used on my double cut P90 conversion. I've learned so much from your videos that some of it inevitably slips from ready recollection. Age related I guess?
Cheers Guys.
でつ e&oe ...
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Post by antares on Sept 16, 2022 11:22:48 GMT -6
I'm thinking that I'll check for delamination on the brace first and get that bonded. I have some tiny jacks here that I made which would be ideal, it only needs to be very gentle pressure. Then I'll address the crack afterwards.
I'm tempted to send a photo to the maker, but he's a very busy guy who manages to give the effortless impression that he has no time to talk to you (unless you're a "name" I guess.) Well that's been my impression from the few times I've spoken to him so as they say; if'n the cap fits- wear it!
でつ e&oe ...
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Post by dnic on Sept 16, 2022 11:47:55 GMT -6
As far as jacks" go. A stick with rounded ends that is about 1/8" - 3mm longer than the space. Can be put in on an angle and then straightened up to create some downward force. With that holding outward force on both top and back plates you could lay it on a sound surface and add weight to the top to add some more clamping" pressure. If the brace is loose from the the back I would attempt to glue it all at once. Except the splint /cleat. One of your ladies cake knives might work well to get under the brace. Wedge the brace up on the top side of the crack and it should give you glue room for both at the same time. If the bottom side of the brace, meaning the side under the step is loose you must apply glue there first. Then glue the crack and brace on the other side. Then add the stick/jack. Clear as mud I know, hard to explain.
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Post by antares on Sept 17, 2022 1:45:01 GMT -6
No it makes sense to me Dane. As I think I noted, I'll be away for a week so I'll get onto it then.
でつ e&oe ...
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