Crack in back

[Bill Snyder]

The back on my International Violin mandolin kit has a crack about 2 inches long. It is hard to see and I don't blame IV for shipping it with the crack as it follows a line in the grain (see pictures).
I purchased this kit to keep for myself and this mandolin is already put together and well along the way in the finish application process. I don't want to remove and replace the back and I doubt that I can wick CA into the crack as it is VERY tight.
Any suggestions other than be careful not to make it worse?

[sunburst]

There's no crack too tight for water thin CA.
If you want to try that approach, tape right next to the crack on both sides of the crack with automotive striping tape, electrical tape, or something like that that the super glue can't weep under. Put some glue on the crack and it'll soak right through. Let it dry, pull the tape, sand and continue your finish process.

[Dale Ludewig]

I agree with John. Water thin CA will get into anything. You could, if wary, "flex" the rim edges forward a bit to help open it up a bit. That would be a two person process. If you do try that, make sure you're wearing safety glasses. In fact, you should be anyway when using CA. I had an employee a few years ago glue a crack in a board and when he let go, the board snapped together, spit some CA into his eye. Not good. Off to the emergency room. But, the doctor's said they've seen worse- one guy came in with his eyelids glued together and they had to cut them apart with a razor. Aie!

[Bill Snyder]

Any particular type/brand of CA ya'll like to use?

[sunburst]

The Stewmac stuff is good, Satalite city, Star bond, even the hardware store stuff, but be sure it says "formulated for wood" somewhere on the packaging.

Dale, I was changing a set of guitar tuner buttons and squirted a little shot of superglue in my eye. I don't recommend it!
My first instinct was to pinch the eye shut, but rational thought took over quickly enough to hold the eye open and run to the bathroom where I could wash it out with water. No damage that I know of, but lets just say carburator cleaner feels like soothing eye drops by comparison!

[Dale Ludewig]

And speaking of CA stories, I once got some on a finger (not noticed at the time) and then hit the area I meant to glue with accelerator. It also hit the stuff on my finger. Don't do that!

[barricwiley]

Sorry to be a bumpkin, what is CA?
I must have missed that read, thanks,
Richard

[artdeco]

Don't work on mandolins barefoot. I managed to glue my foot to the basement floor when a few drops spilled that I didn't notice. Fortunately the floor was painted and the paint peeled off instead of my skin.

[Dale Ludewig]

Richard- it's super glue. The Hot Stuff brand comes in three different consistencies and also has an accelerator that will set the stuff up in a second of two. The chemical name is cyanoacrylate. It bonds skin to skin instantly. In fact, I read once where is was designed to do just that- to treat field wounds in the Korean war before they could get the wounded to a MASH unit. Whether that's true or not, I don't know. I think I read it in an old LMI catalog, when they were still in notebook binder format.

[thistle3585]

I received a top from IV, and the seam was seperating along the glue line about 2". I called Ken and he had a new top to me in two days no questions asked. Great customer service on his behalf. I ended up ordering a plane and some binding from him.

[Bill Snyder]

For those interested parties, Ken at International Violin has offered to exchange my mandolin for a new one, but I think I will just stick with the one I have unless my attempts to fix it prove fruitless.
I think Ken is interested in doing the right thing by his customers. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Spruce]

"I think Ken is interested in doing the right thing by his customers."

I really like the crew at IV...
Nice folks....

Your "crack" looks like grain-seperation to me...

I'd follow that individual grain-line down the whole length of the instrument, checking out both inside and outside of the plate, to make sure it's not behaving badly anywhere else in the plate...

[kvk]

On CA (cyano-acrylate), I used to use tons of it to build RC Model planes. A good hobby shop should carry a whole variety of the stuff. If you can fine such a shop, ask for a small bottle of the super thin stuff. It wicks into anything. A hobby shop is probably the best source to find it locally.

[sunburst]

Yep, IV is a good business.
I can order things on the phone in the middle of the afternoon and have them the next morning. (In VA.)
No problems with returns and such. I would have bet they would have given you a new kit because of the crack.

[Greenmando]

It bonds skin to skin instantly. #In fact, I read once where is was designed to do just that- to treat field wounds in the Korean war before they could get the wounded to a MASH unit. #Whether that's true or not, I don't know.
Old surfer trick, wet hands and feet cut easily. Towel dry and a drop of CA closes the cut so you can go back in for more.

Never got any in my eyes but twice I have squirted lacquer thinner in my eyes, not fun.

[Chris Baird]

I use CA to glue cuts on my skin together as well. Works great. There is an actual medical product that is marketed to close cuts and it is just CA.

[Jim Rowland]

I read somewhere that thin CA is actually used in some eye surgery techniques. There is probably a do-it-yourself kit available on eBay which comes with a tin cup and a few pencils just in case.
Jim

[barricwiley]

Thanks Dale, I am enlightened. I am finding it interesting that super glue comes in different thicknesses. Several warnings on this thread about not getting the stuff on skin, and yet there are folks using it for just that purpose, closing cuts. If it is put on the skin to close cuts - it must be quite a procedure removing the glue without worsening the injury. Hmmm.
Richard, eyes glued open.

[Luthier]

You guys gotta start wearing safety glasses!!!!!

Mom

[tope]

Some folks I've read also put a little ca on their fingertip callus's. I tried it and it didn't work very well.

[Dale Ludewig]

Richard, it's not getting it on your skin per se that's a problem. I've used it to glue cuts myself. It's when you glue your skin to something else that's a problem! Yeah, Gary, I've tried using it as fake calluses when I hadn't played for awhile (shame)- better than nothing, but no substitute for the real thing.

[krishna]

According to some liturature I read back in about '78, CA was first used by the Large Animal Vets for closing up after surgury.This was of course soon after it was invented, and the developers did not know what it COULD be used for. I once cut my whole fingertip off. I went for help, to a construction worker's house two doors down, and he told me that at the emergency ward, they would NOT sew it back on, but would just securely tape it back on. So that's what we did.Two days after, when I was cleaning the dressing, I crazy glued the entire thing,all 360 degrees of it, and it healed very fast after that....Kerry

[Dale Ludewig]

Kerry, that's quite the story. I really don't want to think about it, thank you, having once shoved my thumb into the jointer. But thanks for sharing! I'm glad your finger healed. I think I'm going to go get a little drink while I ponder that.........

[dgfoster]

I once smashed my thumb causing blood to start to pool up under the nail. This builds up some pressure and causes more pain. I heated a needle up red hot and melted a hole thru the top of the nail. This relieved the pressure and the pain. After I was sure that no more blood would pool up again, I used CA to refill the hole. Eventually as the nail grew it work it's way out to the end.

[mario515]

maybe we should just start a new topic(thread) hmmm lets see,, we can call it " WOOD WORKERS HOME REMEDIES' you might have to put a little warning on that one(to protect the squemish)

[sunburst]

Don, I once had a fingernail splintered by a flying broken band saw blade. Enough about that (yes, it hurt), but after the finger healed the shattered nail was catching on clothing and stuff. I basically rebuilt the nail with superglue and maintained it 'til it grew out enough to trim it off.

There are so many uses for this stuff, someone should compile stories and publish a book.