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I have a small area of about 1/2" long x 1/8" wide, that tore out on the upper bout of the side, when I was routing for the binding. It's only as thick as an extremely thin veneer and the piece disintegrated. It's large enough that it would be noticed. How do I fill it and have it look right?

Thank you

You maybe able to use a bit of the cut off (if you still have it) to make a small patch to glue on. Using a cutout you can get a piece very close to what tore out. I make an oversize patch and work it so that I can glue it on cleanly. I have even cut more of the top to be cleanly on a grain line. After the glue cures I work the oversize patch close to the right size and clean up with the router in the binding jig set for cutting the binding channel.

Bummer Diane, what type of wood is your side?

Thanks johnnparchem. I've already collected pieces that were left over and I can make a patch. Kevin, the wood is cherry. It's not as bad as the photo suggests. The photo is extremely magnified. However, I want to make it disappear. Lol

I would think a small patch will work pretty well, it can be difficult to disguise the glue lines though. I would think a Titebond type glue would be best and try and make the patch line look like the grain. Practice on a piece of scrap and see how it looks first.

Well guys, this is the best that I could do. I've never patched a piece of wood. The repair is only about 3/8" long by 1/8" wide. It still needs to be sanded; I hope it's not too noticeable when I finish the guitar. Thanks for all of your help.

I found with my several patch jobs that using a piece of the same wood with the same grain orientation is really important. It's done now, for better or worse (better, we hope!), but if you used a piece of scrap left from trimming that side, that would be good. If you used a piece from a completely different board...probably not so good.
Even if it appears horribly obvious to you when it's finished, in practice I suspect nobody will notice.

I used the same board. The color is different because of the oxidation on the sides; they've been exposed to the light; the scrap hasn't.

Pretty nice repair Diane. I'd be curious to see how it looks after finishing.

BradHall wrote:Pretty nice repair Diane. I'd be curious to see how it looks after finishing.

Thank you. I ended up scrapping this build. Problems started piling up and I called it quits before wasting the neck and fingerboard that I extensively inlaid.. Take a look at the new blog, or under the Show it Off forum for the results of my Guitar 2 1/2 build. It has the wildest curly cherry I've ever seen. Lol