Ideas for reinforcing head-stock break - need advice

[John Cartwright]

Hi folks, hope all are off to a great start in this new year!  ...I on the other hand, am not off to such a great start as my Hamer took a nasty spill (compliments of Gus the cat.)

The break is almost entirely across the grain ends except for about a 3/4" wedge shape near the plastic veneer, so little surface area to receive the glue.  I've been doing some odd repair here and there for friends cutting my teeth for a possible business venture into repair, but I've yet to deal with a headstock break.  I've got lots of material on how to get it glued back and even how to secure it with deeply inlaid splints or pins, like in the following link: HERE 

The catch with this sort of repair is that this is a cheap Korean made Hamer LP Jr. styled guitar from the 90's with that 'wonderfully' thick, candy-shell polyester finish which would be difficult to deal with after the repair - from what I've read anyway.

So, I had this idea - do tell it to me straight if I'm plain crazy for thinking this - but here's the idea.  Glue the neck back with hot hide glue as normal, clamp and let set.  Then, score the finish along the neck where the fret board meets the neck wood, make a cross-cut about 1/8 to 3/16 north of the first fret, remove that section of the fingerboard with heat and spatula, cut two channels for wood splints/pins, glue the splint/pins in, clean area, re-glue fingerboard section, fill cross-cut sawed space, build lacquer along fingerboard section until desired thickness is attained, sand and polish to blend with polyester finish as best as possible.

What do you think?  Is this crazy or reasonable?  I'm just figuring it would be easier and better looking than trying to do it from the back of the neck as detailed in the link above, on account of the candy-shell finish.  

As always, MANY thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.  

John 

 

[Greg Mirken]

That is a nasty break. I may not be picturing your repair correctly, but it doesn't look to me that splines under the fingerboard are going to do anything. I might glue the break, remove the peghead overlay, add reinforcement and install a new peghead veneer. Add custom logo of your choice and lacquer.

[John Cartwright]

Sorry, I meant splines not splints...mixing my repair terms.  Anyway, I was thinking the splines would extend into and through the crack, bridging the two pieces.  However, I'm now wondering how difficult it might be to create a recess in the head-stock part to receive the spline from the other side, considering the head-stock overlay would prevent *easy* access as it now stands.  Hmmm.  I could angle the spline and it's cavity, which would make the most sense in keeping with my original idea.  Maybe what you first suggested would be best in the long run.  What do you think?

[FRANK]

Greg is on the right track ,I sand off the head cap first then glue the two pieces together and add a new reenforced head cap .I like to use ASH its strong a bit of finish work and presto Casholia . 1 concern is all the end grain your gonna glue to ,I would wet it with a damp cloth then Making full sure I fill that up with glue .in my opinion a spline will weaken the head stock just my opinion .

[Ian Supplee]

yea i would glue that up and make sure its nice and clamped. to hide the crack make a finishing blend to make it blend in with the necks current finish.

[Ned Knepp]

In my opinion, drilling or routing for splines will only remove material that is already in short supply. I understand why you are concerned about saving the finish but I think you are facing either making a secure head break repair or saving the finish but I don't know if it is realistic to try to do both.

I think you really need to remove material on the back of the neck and head then scab it over with new material as well as gluing the break. It will mean you need to find a way to repair the finish but it's always going to be a broken head anyway. Perhaps you can paint the back of the head black and taper it to a V on the neck to mask the repair once it is complete.

[Paul Verticchio]

Hi John.  I agree with Ned.  A good 'spline-less' repair with a thick back-strap incorporated into the process appears to be your only successful option.  (I'd use epoxy for this one). Blending in your work with the existing finish will be much easier and the back-strap will be your insurance policy.  Time to dust off the Wagner safety planer.

Personally, there's something about the density of that Mahogany or Nato neck wood that doesn't inspire confidence.  It's probably just me, but it looks too porous to be used for neck wood.

Also, I'm a big believer that when a guitar isn't being played, the only safe place for it is in a closed & latched case...for just this reason.

Best of luck John.  I know what it's like having your baby out of commission,

Paul

[John Cartwright]

Thanks guys!  I've had to look some things up to try and get a handle on what your all talking about.  Is this what you are all getting at?

 http://www.frets.com/fretspages/luthier/Technique/Structural/Broken...

If so, I really don't have the equipment or access to some of the key items mentioned.  No drill press, no Wagner planer, no heat iron (except a household clothes iron), or a band saw.  I do have an orbital sander, the household iron, spiral cutter and a small table-top reciprocating saw, but these would be the closest things available.   

You are right about the neck wood being porous though.  The neck has always had a bit of a rubbery feeling to it as well. In fact, I liken the tone of the guitar to that of a semi-hollowbody guitar - which I like, sonically, but I've always worried about the neck just a little.  

Any further suggestions? 

[Mark Dobbins]

Yes john that is the proper way to repair it ,and probably the only way it will hold up, you can acheive it with hand tools it will just take longer and more patients. 

Mark

[John Cartwright]

Well, I forgot to mention I do have a non-plunging router.  I'm not sure how in the world I would manage to level out the area on the back of the head-stock though.  I guess I would have to construct some sort of wooden jig to give me that even flat cut in the head-stock with a router.  Beats me...  The only other thing I can think of would be to use a Japanese pull-saw and cut it by hand, but I can almost assure that my cut would be uneven and pitched to one side or the other. 

By the way, how on earth did Frank manage to hold the neck and body of the guitar steady enough to do step seven on the drill press?  I would imagine holding a sold body guitar up in the air without wavering, especially a heavy LP, would be incredibly difficult.  What's the trick here?  Wouldn't the slightest tip of the suspended guitar body (up or down) cause the Wagner planer to eat into the wood more in some areas more than others? 

I'll admit, I'm a bit baffled by this. 
 

[Ned Knepp]

 I'm pretty good with a hand saw but I think I would do it with a hand plane.  It takes a lot of patience and you should regularly check with a good square to make sure you are keeping it flat.

It may be possible to remove what you need with the "spiral cutter" you mentioned if you can make a jig to keep it flat over the head as you work. It would not be quick but then cutting it by hand wouldn't be too quick either.  The important thing would be to make sure you can support the cutter over the whole range. 

A trick used on archtop instruments is to drillholes as depth gauges before removing the material. You might be able to use the spiral cutter to do this as long as the depth setting is solid. You could make cut the width and length of the head then finish with a hand plane.

[John Cartwright]

This looks like the best option given my limited large power tool arsenal.  I'll try the drilling for depth and hand planing the back of the head-stock, then do this back-strap thing.  If this doesn't work, I'll strip the guitar of parts and pitch the rest.  The finger board is nice, I could always keep that for some sort of project guitar down the road.  

By the way, could I get enough heat from my household iron to bend a piece of ash for the back-strap?

[FRANK]

I usually never do the back side I glue up the front side with a new head cap .I would use a belt sander to get it flat no router, taking the separated piece sand off the cap attach the loose piece add a new head cap ,typically I use a thicker piece of Ash or something with real integrity thicker means thicker than the original head cap maby .100 or .110 in thickness  hand tools that's all you need