Re: Bowlback Restoration Tips?
Well, Matt, I have been down the road a bit for many of the same sounding reasons that you have described: to keep my hands busy, learn how these instruments were made, fit up a few and maybe even wind up with an instrument I couldn't afford 'whole'. All of that has worked out for me, including a few disasters and a lot of mistakes along the way. Trolling the 'bowlbacks of note' thread for discussions on repairs helped me a lot. Our friend, Dave Hyndes, who is a wizard at this has been amazingly generous with his advice and information and has posted numerous photo essay/threads on some of his repair work. Check out Dave's website as well and his 'mandolin hospital' page. Another MC amigo, John aka "Tavy", also does great bowlback restoration work and has a few threads showing his projects. Searching for their posts will turn up a wealth of information. Lots of useful information in the 'builders' section, a bit on bowlbacks but a lot of useful information that you can extrapolate from archtop or flattop repair as well. Getting a top off a bowlback isn't that hard. I would avoid steam if at all possible. In some cases the hide glue joint simply releases under a careful bit of leverage with a thin blade or the classic two blades in opposition. I have used a clothes iron to good effect (well padded so as no to scorch) to warm up the old glue before working the top off. Go nice and careful where the top attaches to the neck and heel block-much more glue there. With most US made bowls the fretboard is thick enough to remove intact but I have found it easier with Italian bowls (and their thin fretboards) to simply remove a fret and cut through and take the top and fretboard off as a unit. Sometimes that isn't possible.......In any event take it slow and easy. Dave and John are great guys and do wonderful work and are very accessible so check out their contributions here and don't be afraid to contact them.
Mick
Ever tried, ever failed? No matter. Try again, fail again. Fail better.--Samuel Beckett
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