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Top cracked?
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2020 2:30 pm
by Fly_by
I am building a 000 StewMac - sloooowwly - been at it for years. I have been gluing the top braces and the other day I saw a crack in the top. It is torrefied spruce.
I've attached a picture but had to crop it drastically to fit dimension restrictions for an attachment.
Can somebody tell me what I should do? Any help is appreciated.
Re: Top cracked?
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2020 2:35 pm
by tippie53
your pics didn't attach
most likely your rh dropped and the shrinkage popped the crack.
if you can't post the pics send them to me at
tippie@epix.net and I can post them for you
Re: Top cracked?
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2020 4:52 pm
by tippie53
now they are in there
contact Stew Mac they do have good customer service
Re: Top cracked?
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2020 5:03 pm
by MaineGeezer
I think I'd remove any braces that go across the crack, then work some glue into the crack and pull it tight. Maybe put a couple of cleats across it. Then remove all the old glue from where the braces were, and from the braces, and reglue, assuming you did remove some braces. If you used hot hide glue you don't need to do the glue removal step.
Re: Top cracked?
Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2020 3:16 am
by Diane Kauffmds
Remove any braces that cross the crack. The crack is an open crack; odds are that it's a problem with humidity. I'd close that top on a garbage bag, along with a plastic container with a top, in which holes have been made. Put a wet sponge into the plastic container. Make it very wet, but not dripping. Put the plastic container with wet sponge into the garbage bag, along with your top.
Check that the sponge is wet, daily; the top will suck up the moisture. Leave it in the bag until the crack closes. Then you can cleat the crack and reglue any braces.
Re: Top cracked?
Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2020 11:31 am
by Fly_by
Diane Kauffmds wrote:Remove any braces that cross the crack. The crack is an open crack; odds are that it's a problem with humidity. I'd close that top on a garbage bag, along with a plastic container with a top, in which holes have been made. Put a wet sponge into the plastic container. Make it very wet, but not dripping. Put the plastic container with wet sponge into the garbage bag, along with your top.
Check that the sponge is wet, daily; the top will suck up the moisture. Leave it in the bag until the crack closes. Then you can cleat the crack and reglue any braces.
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Got in touch w/ StewMac and this is very similar to their advice. Thanks - for some reason I didn't think to contact them until it was suggested. They were very responsive.
Thanks to all who responded.