Winter blues

Even if it ain't broke you can still fix it.
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jread
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Winter blues

Post by jread »

The RH in my house dipped in this freeze snap quickly to about 35% from 45-ish.

Here's a build of mine about a year old: The bridge just popped up and the top crack is from bridge to tail block.

I feel this crack is was probably due to the humidity drop, sure but this glue joint was flawed. The glue line was more visible than my normal work and I let had it go. Well, 1 year later, this is what happened.

I know how to humidify to close and glue crack and reset the bridge.

But, I'm considering drastic measures such as replacing the top. I had hoped to sell it as new. I don't think I want to sell it even if repaired it's just going to be a long repaired crack which I think will prob open again. I think this joint is gonna be an issue going forward. Any thoughts on that?
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tippie53
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Re: Winter blues

Post by tippie53 »

you are correct humidity caused the crack and if you notice the grain that is torn along the glue joint shows you had a good glue joint.
I run my humidifier set to 40% when its real dry getting 50% is very hard and anything about 37% is safe
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
jread
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Re: Winter blues

Post by jread »

Thanks. I haven’t been measuring this room. Perhaps it crashed. Addressing. Thanks.
Kevin Sjostrand
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Location: Visalia, CA

Re: Winter blues

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

I noticed that also, the glue joint looks to have held.
How about fix it and keep it and make the next one to sell?
Merry Christmas too!
jread
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Re: Winter blues

Post by jread »

That settles it, Kevin. Keepin it. Merry Christmas me. I've posted this one here, it's the Rosewood OM slot head I made. It's the only build out of 23 now that I've made without knowing who it was for. I guess I know now.

I've hung it with a bag with a sponge in a plastic container w/ holes. We'll see how well I can get it to close up. Also cranked up the humidifier. I hadn't realized how much we crashed here.

Happy Holidays to everyone.
Bob Gleason
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Re: Winter blues

Post by Bob Gleason »

Probably 20 years ago I sent a 000 size guitar from here in Hawaii to a player in New York in the Winter. It took only a few days for the top to develop a couple of cracks from the bridge to the tail and the top to sink so much as to make the guitar unplayable. When I got the guitar back, you could drop dimes through the cracks! It was a real learning experience. Anyway, I took the guitar back. Within a few days of just sitting in higher humidity, the cracks completely closed up. I played that guitar for many years without having to do any repairs on the cracks. Along the way the guitar suffered further damages, so I no longer have it, but it was an interesting experience. Happy Holidays!-Bob
tippie53
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Re: Winter blues

Post by tippie53 »

the big thing is to know what the RH is. Many hygrometers are inaccurate . You need to look on you tube for ways to calibrate your Hygrometers DO NOT ASSUME THEY ARE CORRECT.

The biggest piece of misinformation is maintaining 50% humidity. To be honest
if you can hold 37% to 42% in winter you win . I just had a customer that over humidified a guitar because his Hygrometer said it was 15%. He is in NY city. Most high rises have ventilation and maintain RH. The have City steam so its easier to heat and control RH>
I told him to get a certified Hygrometer
https://www.amazon.com/Cigar-Oasis-Hygr ... C93&sr=8-2
then use this system
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... hygrometer
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
jread
Posts: 560
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2019 9:52 am
Contact:

Re: Winter blues

Post by jread »

good and timely info. I notice the cracks have closed to near invisible after a few days w/ some humification. I still see the thin line in the shellac. Since they are mine and not vintage so I may push some glue into the cracks, then lightly sand w/ 1000 or 1500g down the line and then refresh the shellac. I think the center seam on this guitar will just be more visible than most but certainly not a big deal.
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