rejoining cracked sides, that don't want to rejoin

[brian mastro]

I have a mandolin that had it's neck pushed down hard which broke the heel block and the sides leading away from the neck on both sides. after removing the heel block and neck I tried rejoining the sides and bracing it with a cleat, on one side this will not work (I have tried) on the other side of the neck the crack just will not line up or close all the way. there is no wood missing it was just in it's broken necked condition for apparently decades and the wood isn't where it use to be. should I try using water and heat to get the wood to be more plastic or am I looking at a different set of problems then?

help! basically.

[Eric Steven Johansen]

First off some pictures would help. Is the top off? Or the back? Moisture and heat may help but the methods should be determined by seeing its current condition. Pics would show that clearly. Hope this helps.

[brian mastro]

yes pictures would be helpful I'l get on that later when I am home. and yes the top is off, someone did a hack job to cut an oval soundhole in the top then the heel block and side damage probably happened next. All of this could have happened before I was born for all I know (the beatles were still a band then let's say).

this is not a quality instrument but somethig tog et me feet wet with for instrument repair ...

anyway pictures coming.

[brian mastro]

actually here is one old picture before the top and neck were removed, the crack in the middle there is basically frozen open.