Replacing missing top/side kerfing in the lower bout of dreadnought?

[Chaz Harris]

I just made a post regarding a damaged Guild D25 I'm repairing here (link to thread), and I have another question.

When the side/top damage occurred, it also knocked a piece of kerfing loose in the area. How would you all go about this repair? The biggest thing for me is that I can't fit my forearm into the soundhole far enough to reach back that far, so I'm not going to be able to directly touch/feel it when gluing it back.  

So, what do you guys do in situations like this? I can't imagine I'm the only one with forearms too big to fit that far into the guitar, and I don't need to reinvent the wheel for no reason.

And no, the Clarence White soundhole mod isn't what I'm looking for at this point...

Not a very good picture, but you get the idea.

[Kerry Krishna]

 I'm not sure what the others here will say, so I am going out on a limb here... It's only a 3 inch section?  I don't think I'd worry about it. Top will still glue back on no problem. 

 Watch , latter, after a bunch of folks chime in and say what THEY would do and how silly my post is, I'll do the Cowardly Lion thing and delete my post! How much ya wanna bet?

[Steve Williams]

Kerry, I was going to say the same thing, but i didn't have the guts to do it. Your a brave man my friend ! 

[Mark Pollock]

Kerry is right, it's not crucial, but you can always make up a replacement section and use string through the gap to pull it in place.

[Paul Breen]

Cut your kerfed lining into individual segments and apply them one at a time with a tool similar to the ones pictured in the Easy Cleats thread. If the instrument was assembled with hide glue, use that. If not, use Titebond.

[Chaz Harris]

Thanks for the replies. I'll glue the top back down to the remaining binding and see if I can stick some individual pieces of "kerfing" in there after that with one of those pokers. That's what I figured on doing, but I wanted to make sure before I went to gobbing stuff in there like the guy before me...

[Ned Knepp]

I've replaced a couple of missing sections with thin strips of wood laminated and shaped to fit the curve. They can be fit in once piece this way. I like basswood for this because it's easy to cut thin and bends easily.  I HAVEN'T tried this through a sound hole, however, so  positioning wasn't such a problem when I did this.  

Magnets might help locate it against the side but you need to insure that it's also pressed tight against the top. If the top is still loose, you may be able to fit the bracing, whatever you decide to use, then fit that to the top with sand paper pulled through the "slot" until the top fits. 

[Chaz Harris]

I thought about that, but (like you said) I think getting it into position through the soundhole might prove difficult. I think the individual pieces will be a lot easier the jam in there and get tight against both the side and the top.