Large Finish chip

[tdstone]

I've searched high and low for advice on this to no avail.

My son (don't ask!) chipped a good sized piece of finish of the sharp corner of my f-hole, leaving bare wood. (I can supply photo if it would be helpful.) This is a Morgan Monroe so not a high end instrument, I am not sure if this happened due to a cheap finish job or what. I have the chipped piece intact and want to glue it back on myself.

Any suggestions on what types of glue would work or any other tips would be much appreciated! Thanks.

[Dan Adams]

Good Question. My performance mandolin is taking its licks (pun intended). The case lid has closed on the bass side of the headstock. There are pick scratches above the G-string. I dropped it on concrete on the point of the head stock at a gig (trying to save the mixing board in the wind, bad choice), and I scarred the top trying to fit a new bridge. I've seen some fine instruments that great players have used live for ahile, and they are always beat up more than I would expect. I guess thats part of taking a mandolin in and out of the case, traveling, and playing in various conditions. I'm the first one to admit that this mandolin was bought as a live performance instrument, but at the same time, I would like to fix the few dings, if nothing else to re-seal the exposed wood. How do I reseal the nitrous cellioud/laquer where it has been chipped off from being beat around? Do I take some verathane/laquer and brush it over the dings, do I rub the dings out with thinner/acetone..., then apply the finish? My current choice, play it like you mean it, let it take the lumps, and accept the fact that it will always be a great sounding live instrument, but a cosmetic nightmare. Suggestions?

All That Glitters is not Scrolled! Dan

[Yonkle]

Just get some lacquer, assuming it is a lacquer finish. If the wood lost any stain just rub in a little stain with a Q-tip. Spray the lacquer into a cup and take a tooth pick and drop a drop in the chip. Keep adding a drop at a time until the lacquer is a little higher than the rest of your mando. Let it dry overnight, and add more the next day if it sinks in and you need more. Once you have it full and dry. Take 320 grit and try to sand only the repaired area until it is almost flat. Then go to 600-800 grit and smooth it out. Then get some plastic polish (McQuires #10) or something comparable and rub it out until the shine matches your mando. I've done this a few times on lacquer chips and you can fix them compleatly in 2 days. JD

[Bandersnatch Reverb]

I'm gonna say.. if the chip is intact, and fits back ... and you want to glue it back, go over to www.frets.com and look in the different articles until you find the one one knox gelitan being the same stuff as hide glue. Mix it up like Frank suggests in the article and glue it back. If the wood is light under it, you can add some color to the underlying wood so the parting line wont show so badly. After its all dried, just leave it, dont try to sand it and make it any prettier...

[Michael Lewis]

If the finish is nitro lacquer don't use hide glue. This is an opportunity to make a mess or do a slick repair. It's all in the timing, steadyness of your hands, accuracy of hand eye coordination, and luck with adhesive going only where you want.

Make sure the surface of exposed wood is smooth(not dented). A small drop of clear lacquer on the bare wood, and then carefully place the chip where it belongs. There should be enough lacquer to squeeze out as the chip goes "home". This will melt the surface of the chip that is exposed to the lacquer, and blend it into the broken edge of the finish where it came from. Sounds easy, and it should be, but so many little things can go against you in the process. A bit of lacquer build up is expected, let it dry for several days before leveling it. It should polish out and be un noticeable.