How to Protect the Truss Rod cavity during a mando neck repair?

[Mando&Me]

Some of you have been kind enough to tolerate my gyrations as I inch toward repairing a nasty headstock break.

So a question. Before gluing everything in place, how does one go about protecting or sealing off the cavity that holds the truss rod? I had the thought of finding a plastic straw slightly larger than the diameter of the rod and sliding it in there, with the rod still in place inside the straw. However, I confess these are the thoughts of a total newb and rookie.

Thanks for your help.

Mando & Me

[mirwa]

Straw is fine

[pops1]

That's what I would have recommended.

[Mando&Me]

Gents, thanks for your replies. Would you also agree that such a solution would include leaving the truss rod itself inside the straw, or might it be better to replace is with a pencil or pen in there?

Thank You!
M&M

[pops1]

The straw would be used to protect it for reuse. If you are going to replace it I would want to put something in the neck for strength. Carbon fiber?

[Andy Miller]

After removing the truss rod nut, I usually cover the exposed portion of the rod with a piece of surgical tubing, it fits tightly and keeps glue and finish off the threads. If it's possible to wad up some masking tape in the cavity without interfering with the glue-up, I'll do that to reduce the amount of glue that ends up in there. But in the end. . . . when you glue up a break that goes through the truss rod cavity, some glue gets in there and needs to be cleaned out of there later. You can also carefully apply some paste wax to surfaces where you want to prevent glue from sticking.

[Mando&Me]

After removing the truss rod nut, I usually cover the exposed portion of the rod with a piece of surgical tubing, it fits tightly and keeps glue and finish off the threads. If it's possible to wad up some masking tape in the cavity without interfering with the glue-up, I'll do that to reduce the amount of glue that ends up in there. But in the end. . . . when you glue up a break that goes through the truss rod cavity, some glue gets in there and needs to be cleaned out of there later. You can also carefully apply some paste wax to surfaces where you want to prevent glue from sticking.

Andy, thanks for the suggestion. Where would be a good place to get some surgical tubing? eBay?

thanks again,
M&M

[Mando&Me]

The straw would be used to protect it for reuse. If you are going to replace it I would want to put something in the neck for strength. Carbon fiber?

I've been looking at other comments about removing the truss rod permanently and putting in a carbon fiber rod. My main concern would be that the instrument would be hard to dial in on setup. Is this a bogus concern?

BTW, folks, I am suddenly not getting notifications of new posts in this thread. Can anyone tell me why this might be, and how to fix it? It says I'm subscribed, but no dice.

Anyway, thanks,

M&M

[pops1]

Make sure you are logged in, if you don't stay logged in the site won't know it's you. I made the comment about removing the rod not knowing what your plans were. Me, I would keep it, I like being able to adjust the neck for optimum action.

[Andy Miller]

Andy, thanks for the suggestion. Where would be a good place to get some surgical tubing? eBay?

thanks again,
M&M

What I have around came from Stewmac, they sell it as "pickup spring tubing," but I'm sure something similar could be had on Amazon.

[rockies]

You can usually get surgical tubing at a good drugstore (pharmacy) or at a sport shop ( sling shot rubber). You cab also use stretched surgical tubing (tightly) as a clamp for awkward shapes where you can't use a regular mechanical clamp.
Dave