Rehorning a telecaster

[John]

I got this guitar in from a customer who didn't know how the original horn fell off but he wants a new one put on. I've had the new one cut and joined for awhile but I'm having problems clamping it. I've tried a band clamp and several variations of bar clamps and jigs. I'm seriously considering a temporary screw from the neck pickup slot and the control cavity. Any thoughts? 

[Demetry Merkuloff]

I'd use a temporary pin or maybe a permanent wood dowels and a Bassey strap clamp. I always wonder who would saw off the horn... or was ir smashed beyound restoration?

[Joshua Levin-Epstein]

As I imagine this, you are adding a pin/dowel/biscuit/domino to keep the horn from slipping toward the neck cavity or toward the output jack. I don't think anything is necessary structurally, but might be pretty tricky to align. The goal is to have the clamping force, which might not need to be tremendous because of the excellent jointing, perpendicular to the cut.

How about immobilizing the body, and making fitted cauls for the concave and convex edges of the horn. These will keep the horn located. Mount a screw type clamp (like Frank uses on his fixture to restore shape to mandolin ribs) that will push the horn into the body.

On a different matter, I don't think that last photo is appropriate for this G rated site. 

[Paul Verticchio]

That final photo reminds me of an episode of "The Black Adder". :)

[Russell Vance]

Excellent!   "Flashard" - reminds me of most guitarists.

[John]

We were referring to that picture as the shark tele, clearly there's room for interpretation. Tele de Milo and Picasocaster.

[Joshua Levin-Epstein]

I missed the shark interpretation ( My mind goes right to the gutter, joining up with the rest of me).

But that would explain where the original horn went...

[Steve Bettesworth]

My idea had been tried. I should learn to read posts to the end in future.

Steve

[Ned Knepp]

How about drilling a couple of holes along the length of the horn and using a couple of screws to hold it in place while the glue dries? You can remove the screws and plug the holes with some wooden dowels, Since the new horn has a flat side, it should be easy to use a drill press to make the holes. They might be long but you'll be filling them anyway. 

[John]

Do you mean from the outside of the horn?

[Ned Knepp]

Yeah, I'm thinking of a hole that runs from the outside edge of the horn almost through to the flat, glue surface. You should be able to use a long screw driver to drive a screw through the two glue faces once the glue is in place.

If you mark the position of the screw holes, with a screw in the hole or a long pointy.. something, you should be able to drill a pilot hole on the body so alignment should be too much of a problem. You will have to judge what is needed since it could be that it will take more than two holes but it would allow you to have a tight "clamp" with little worry about shifting.

[John]

I'd considered that and I could cut tapered plugs to match from the offcut. Would it be better than driving a screw from the neck pickup and control cavity?  

I read about a guy using staples and clipping the top off to stop a fingerboard from shifting when it was being glued on, I wonder if you could use the same approach to mark dowel holes.

[Ned Knepp]

I actually thought about that but I think it still leaves the problem of actually clamping thing up. Using a nail or dowel to align the pieces is a very good idea. I just though the screws would clamp it and be removable when it's all dry.

I don't think it matter which way the screws run as long as it they can be tightened enough to hold the glue line properly. If you can do it through the existing cavities, all the better. 

Another approach could be to use insulation foam to make a mold and force the part into the  mold with glue between them. I actually think this would be a LOT of trouble for a single glue up and probably wouldn't hold as well as screws.