Headstock Repair

[Zen]

Hi Guys, Repairing a break on a Fender acoustic headstock that got a knock. Its a clean break and is hanging on there by the headplate on the front so it will go together easily enough

Just wondering what your thoughts are on using Titebond Liquid Hide glue from a bottle.? I do have some here but its just a month out of date and I was wondering would it still be ok ?

I also have the standard Yellow Titebond so would that be a better option ?

Any advise appreciated

Rusty

[B. Howard]

To test the liquid hide, pout a thin shear on a piece of paper. If it is not dry in 15 minutes it's no good. Yellow glue Wil work fine too.

[tippie53]

I get to do a lot of head stock repairs. The best one I found yet is Gun stock epoxy. Yes the wood glues are good but here we are placing the glue into pure shear stress. Any compromise of the wood structure will show as a faliure. You naturally remove the tuners and make yourself 2 cauls , one for the top and one for the back of the headstock.
Use wax paper between the cawls and apply the epoxy and clamp. The one reason I use epoxy here is that you get gapping and most wood glues , especially the protein ( hide and fish glue ) are poor gap fillers, epoxy is a good gap filler.
Read the directions of your particular brand of epoxy. I use a brand that I get that is designed for gun stocks. I have yet to see this stuff fail. Cleans off well and helps act as a filler so the body and fender work on the finish repair is pretty good. 2000 psi 2 part epoxy will also work. Get the clear.

[Zen]

Thanks for that John,
Just wondering have you come across this glue called PL premium by loctite

This guy seems to like it :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULCx-MiGgpM

[tippie53]

I have not used it. Can't say one way or the other

[Zen]

I took off the tuners etc and the headplate is still intact and its actually holding the headstock on at the moment,
But now I notice that the owner had tried a quick fix job at some stage and pumped Superglue into the break -which obviously didnt work. My big worry now is will the Titebond bond at all ? Will I have to get every bit of superglue out of the crack and how will I do that without causing more damage ?

Heres a pic before i removed the tuners and strings



Rusty

[Zen]

Its an SX by the way--made in China. For some reason I thought he said it was a fender

I see from surfing the web that acetone may be the way to remove the Superglue that he seems to have used to try a repair job--along with 2 bolts lol

Whats the European equivalent of Acetone---any uk builders here ?

[phavriluk]

Seeing as how the joint is contaminated with super glue, I think there's no removing enough of it to matter. Test for yourself, apply superglue to a nonporous something or another and use the 'debonder' that can be purchased for purging superglue. Tty to clean off the adhesive. It don't float away. It can be rubbed away, but I think a break like that one won't give up enough superglue to allow an air-setting glue to work well. My suggestion, based on no experience with the problem at hand but with 40 years' experience working with 'super glue', get yourself some slow-setting super glue, prepare the cauls you've been asked to get ready, and apply the slow-set super glue in the joint and clamp it all together, making sure that the cauls are covered with something the glue won't stick to, and wipe up any squeezeout. Wait a while and see what you have. I can't suggest that these techniques are appropriate for anything but rescuing a badly started repair. It might work out. All my comments are based on the idea that the parts can be put back into position without leaving any gaps.

[Zen]

Seeing as how the joint is contaminated with super glue, I think there's no removing enough of it to matter. Test for yourself, apply superglue to a nonporous something or another and use the 'debonder' that can be purchased for purging superglue. Tty to clean off the adhesive. It don't float away. It can be rubbed away, but I think a break like that one won't give up enough superglue to allow an air-setting glue to work well. My suggestion, based on no experience with the problem at hand but with 40 years' experience working with 'super glue', get yourself some slow-setting super glue, prepare the cauls you've been asked to get ready, and apply the slow-set super glue in the joint and clamp it all together, making sure that the cauls are covered with something the glue won't stick to, and wipe up any squeezeout. Wait a while and see what you have. I can't suggest that these techniques are appropriate for anything but rescuing a badly started repair. It might work out. All my comments are based on the idea that the parts can be put back into position without leaving any gaps.

Thanks for suggestions

When you say : quote "get yourself some slow-setting super glue, prepare the cauls etc" do you mean get some slow setting Epoxy ? I'm wary of using superglue seeing as it failed on him already and theres so much string pressure involved
Thanks

[tippie53]

you can get super glue remover but that is mostly acetone. Once ca is used it makes things iffy. Clean out the best you can. Epoxy may be your best choice . I hate amateur repairs