Epi LP headstock repair.

Rox

If you've got a router and a jig. 

How did it glue together?

DeeTee

Funny you should say that....

I've just taken the clamp off. 

http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag24/DeeTeeUK/20131220_191351_zps51405082.jpg

Gorilla Glue foams up before it dries, meaning it grabs as much of the wood as possible before drying solid. What I'll do is carefully file the excess off before routing for the splines. I'll be doing this freehand(!) with a Dremel-like hobby tool. I'm probably going to aim for either side of that sticker.

http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag24/DeeTeeUK/20131220_191426_zps12e0fa51.jpg

I'm not sure how well this picture shows it, but I'm really pleased with how it's dried. As far as I can see, t's in line with where it should be from all angles. Given that it slid around a fair bit while I was fitting the clamp (as I'm trying to clamp to angled surfaces to each other) that wasn't a given.

http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/ag24/DeeTeeUK/20131220_191335_zps56a758a1.jpg

Obviously the headstock facing is screwed, and I'll not be able to sort that missing chunk. What I'll look at doing, if the splines work OK, is removing the facing completely. Then I'll get some mahogany veneer, colour it deep red (like the outside of the sunburst) and try to attach that. I might even put some sort of stylised "DT" where you'd expect the brand name. Silly I know, but if I manage to do this, I'm putting my bloody name on it!

@richardj has kindly offered me a couple of mahogany offcuts for the splines and santa is bringing me a hobby tool. I'll keep you updated.

DeeTee

God knows what I've done wrong with the images. I should have posted directly from my phone, which appears to do it better than my desktop.

ICBM

DeeTee said:

God knows what I've done wrong with the images. I should have posted directly from my phone, which appears to do it better than my desktop.

Take off the [IMG] and [/IMG] and it will work.

DeeTee

Cheers!

ICBM

Good job. You've got that impressively tight considering how rough the wood looked. I take it you used a fair amount of force on the clamp handle .

DeeTee

To be honest, I think the photo made the wood look worse than it is. While it looks rough and fibrous, I don't think it really is. When I was holding it together, I was using very little force.

As for the clamping, I bought a trigger clamp, after reading lots of repair threads on MyLesPaul. I held it together with one hand while attaching the clampand gently but firmly applied more and more pressure until it felt solid. In fact I was a bit worried I was going to wreck it while removing the clamp!

DeeTee

Moved to Making and Modding, as it could be a long thread of just that.

Rox

I like using the Gorilla glue because it expands, so it gets into all the nooks and crannies. 

DeeTee

@Rox - It certainly does that. I clamped this really tight, and there seems to be no space between the two breaks, but there's still leakage. I can only assume it's a good thing that it has to come out of the edges rather than being able to find space without doing so.

Rox

@DeeTee - so how much of Christmas day will you be spending cutting out chunks of mahogany? 

ICBM

DeeTee said:

@Rox - It certainly does that. I clamped this really tight, and there seems to be no space between the two breaks, but there's still leakage. I can only assume it's a good thing that it has to come out of the edges rather than being able to find space without doing so.

Yes, exactly. While it's messy, if no glue had come out at the sides you would know you hadn't put enough in.

With other types of glue it's usually easier to clean it up before it sets, that's really the only difference.

DeeTee

@Rox - My girlfriend has to work on the day, so probably quite a lot!

@ICBM - That's what I thought. Thanks for the encouragement.

Misterg

DeeTee;110672" said:

What I'll do is carefully file the excess off before routing for the splines. I'll be doing this freehand(!) with a Dremel-like hobby tool. I'm probably going to aim for either side of that sticker.

Do you mean you'll be doing the routing for the splines freehand?  DON'T! It's ridiculously difficult (impossible?) to cut a nice. straight line freehand. The time/effort in making a simple jig would be well worth it (and that bit you linked to is for a router, rather than a hobby tool).

A sharp blade (or chisel) works well for getting rid of surplus gorilla glue.

You'll need to watch you don't catch the truss rod when you choose the position of the splines.

Watching with interest...:)

DeeTee

The problem is I don't have a router or anything. I'll be getting something like a Dremel. The only other thing I can think of is cutting holes in a plywood board first, clamping that to the neck, and using that as a guide.

DeeTee

Oh, and thanks for pointing out that the router was wrong! Any pointers on the kind of thing I need? I think this is the the right thing: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dremel-25in-Straight-Router-654/dp/B00004UDIN/ref=sr_1_30?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1387638459&sr=1-30&keywords=dremel+router

Misterg

It's the right type of bit, but I really doubt that a Dremel style tool would have enough power to cut anything substantial with that bit. I suspect you might be better making multiple passes with a ~1/8" bit (happy to be proved wrong...) I worry that a Dremel won't be stiff enough not to wander about when cutting - and you'll need some sort of router base for it (may be included).

A piece of plywood with a slot in it (or a 'fence' on it) that bridges the back of the neck is the way to go for the jig - get everything clamped down.

Good luck!

DeeTee

There's a guy on the MyLesPaul forum who specialises in repairing headstock breaks and he freehands with a Dremel. I think the trick is going slowly, making multiple passes.

DeeTee

The reason he gives is that if he uses a router and catches the truss rod, it's likely to shatter spectacularly.

Sambostar

You can edge rout freehand with a 3000W heavy router if you go with light passes, get used to the friction and wear ear defenders to help you concentrate and goggles so you can view it close up, but for a channel, I'd be inclined to make a fence guide and make an overhead jig at the correct angle and secure the whole thing down, as unless your hand is dead steady you have a huge potential for kickback from either side.  Even an ape can use a router with a guide or a fence plunged way beyond what you should cut with the bit in one pass.

Buy a cheap router, even an Erbauer from Screwfix or something is solid enough and a bearing router bit or use a fence against the edge of the router base, but better with a guide bit.  If you practice with a fence or a jig you'll cut a channel, then get a bit of maple or something and cut it along the grain with a table saw until it is the exact thickness as the router bit / practice channel.  Then it's just a case of trail and error until you match the ends of the spline pieces with the actual routed channel as best you can, or don't it doesn't matter, what does matter is that the length of the splines fit perfectly flush and make good contact on both sides, along their length.  Then just plane or file/sand down.  Doesn't matter if your channels go all the way through the headstock, in fact I would, it will be stronger, so long as you miss the truss rod and fretboard eh? In fact just set your jig up against the neck, so that it is angled to go through the headstock but not hit the trussrod.

Yep, definitely buy a router and a bearing bit and spend the time making an overhead jig out of mdf and setting up this secured to the guitar and table.  The actual routing will only take a few minutes at most.  It will be a bodge with a dremel, they are only meant for polishing things and light work.

Every man should buy a router at some stage in their lives, once you have one, you can make a plate for it and a table and be doing anything from kitchen cabinet doors to straight edges, template mass production to guitar body making, so it will definitely come in handy. The only limit is your imagination and creativity in making jigs.   lol.

I am steady with a router, but I wouldn't even trust myself to drill a Floyd hole freehand without a guide or pillar drill.