How much heat, to loosen fingerboard extension(w/ ivoroid binding), for reset?

[Dave Richard]

To avoid torching the flammable celluloid?  How have others handled this?

[Paul Breen]

I make Aluminum blocks that are heated to about 300 degrees. It needs to be narrower than the width of the fingerboard extension so it stays away of the binding.

Stewart MacDonald's sells this one. http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Necks_a... 

You can also remove the binding there and put it back later. A word of caution though, vintage binding shrinks over time, you may find that it is a bit smaller when you go to put vintage celluloid back on. Gaps can be patched with a slurry made from Acetone and a bit of matching binding. Give it a few days to get hard, then file or scrape it flush.

[Dave Richard]

Hi Paul, thanks for your reply.  I just successfully loosened the extension, having found the aluminum block method yesterday on Frank's Frets.com(described in 'resetting the neck on a Martin 000-45). I made a fitted block, heated it to 400 degrees, worked great.  

[Robbie Collins]

I use a heating blanket at 250-275. I cover the binding with cardboard ells covered with aluminum foil to offer a little protection.  It takes a while longer to get the tongue warm but the binding isn't affected.