Glue? son's guitar

[Nick Alberty]

Hello,

I know this is not dealing with mandolins, but what type of glue should I use to fix the headstock on my son's guitar. It's not a valuable piece, but it was new at Christmas and it fell over last night and snapped off the headstock. It's a clean break and I think it could be glued on a maybe "clamped" for a while and should be fine. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

[sunburst]

What kind of guitar? What kind of wood is the neck? Is it split along the grain of the wood? Is it broken on a glue joint? Is it fractured across grain the grain? Got any pictures?

[Nick Alberty]

I'm not sure what type of wood. I don't have pictures either. If you can picture a guitar being dropped on the back of the headstock and the headstock breaking off toward the front of the guitar, that's how it broke. It's actually a Oscar Schmidt guitar (made by Washburn). It's a small size also. The grain runs down the neck and headstock. It broke with the grain....I think.

[billhay4]

Does the break fit back together tightly? Are any of the holes for the tuners affected? Finally, is the break toward the head away from the tuners?
This information will help the guys giving you advice.
Bill

[Darryl Wolfe]

Titebond from Lowes/Home Depot (unless you want to go thru all the hassle and equipment of learning hot hide glue)

[Nick Alberty]

The break goes back together very well. The holes for the tuners are not broken into ( although close to one ).

The only other thing is that the thin layer of finish? paint? or whatever it is has chipped off. So, if it's glued there will be a chipped off spot of the outer layer ( paint?, finish? or whatever it is )

[Antlurz]

If you elect to go the Titebond route, be sure to get the "original" formula. (red label) Don't use the blue label stuff.

Ron

[Nick Alberty]

Thanks for all the help. Any more suggestions are appreciated.

Nick

[Bill Snyder]

Peghead repair (http://frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Structural/BrokenHeadstocks/HuberPeghead/huberpeghead.html) from frets.com and Frank Ford. Another one (http://frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Structural/BrokenHeadstocks/LongBreak/longbreak.html) from frets.com and Mr. Ford.

[Dale Ludewig]

I would only caution this: you've got one chance to get this right. Read all you can. You're going to need many clamps and cauls to to this properly. If it's not a valuable instrument, then you could be satisfied with less than perfect results. But I do know this on headstock "snapoffs": You've got one chance to get it right. Otherwise there's glue in there and it'll never be right. So be careful and take your time. When the actual gluing takes place, you have to know everything you're going to do. Finish touchup is another issue. Life is full of many challenges. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Rick Turner]

I'd use the LMI white glue which has less cold creep than does Titebond. I think you can get small bottles of the stuff from them. Also, when you do glue it, don't clamp the life out of the glue joint; you can overtighten clamps and literally drive the glue out of the joint resulting in a "starved glue joint". You want to bring the surfaces together, but not crushingly so.

[billhay4]

If the break goes back well, any glue will do. Titebond or LMI are good choices. You do need to be careful to get it back together right, but you don't have to worry too much about reinforcing the joint (which was why I asked about tuner holes, etc.).
As for the chipped place, you can patch this by cutting a small patch and enlarging the chip to fit the patch. It'll still show, though, so you may just want to leave it if it's small.
Clamping the glue job will be important. You need a good fit so the glue joint will not be too obvious.
Good luck.
Bill

[Gibson A5]

Rick, thanks for the tip about driving the glue out with too much pressure. I guess I've been lucky so far, but I really put a tight clamp up job and a lot of clamps on my two piece tops and back when gluing up the blanks (and neck ears for that matter). I never even thought I was driving too much glue out, I figured I was driving glue into the wood. Ya live and learn,
Thanks,
Bill P.

[Bernie Daniel]

Rick Turner: Also, when you do glue it, don't clamp the life out of the glue joint; you can overtighten clamps and literally drive the glue out of the joint resulting in a "starved glue joint". #You want to bring the surfaces together, but not crushingly so.

I also want to thank you for making that remark. #I have often wondered about that point it gluing many objects not only wooden things -- I often considered that may there is such a thing as clamping too tight? #What you say seems very logical.

[martinedwards]

I often considered that may there is such a thing as clamping too tight

I often considered that may there is such a thing as clamping too tight

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif never once in my life have I ever considered this!!!

but then I've only been a woodwork teacher since '89........

but it DOES make sense!

[Bernie Daniel]

martinedwards: never once in my life have I ever considered this!!!

But then you are probably not an an indefatigable,
incessant, professional "worry wart" like me.