Headstock repair jig that I would LOVE to get the plans for!

[Kerry Krishna]

•  Have a quick look at this vid. The maker is A2 Guitars,(I have no clue!) but is articulate here, gives terrific detailed description, and I am positive this person probably has a ton more jigs at his shop. I invited him to come over and post on this Forum too. I hope he joins, as people with as much instrument repair experience as this gent has, would be a welcome addition here. Anyone know whi the Gent is? 

• A2 guitars repair jig

[David Collins]

Edit: one more priority I forgot which I had in mind in the original design - the ability to temporarily drop the clamping plate away from the face, with ability to bring it back up to quickly register in the set position without having to spend any time readjusting is quite handy. This allows it to be useful not only for completely separated headstocks, but also for ones still hinged on the front veneer by allowing you to flex the joint open while applying glue and quickly snap the plate back up in to position to clamp. Honestly this jig is not nearly so necessary for that particular type of break where no end pressure is needed, but it allows for quick clamping with hide glue, and it's just nice to keep it versatile.

[Kerry Krishna]

I am loving this design. Are there more jigs like this at your shop David? And thanks so much for jumping in here too. 

[David Collins]

Oh, there are oodles of other nifty gadgets around the shop. Documenting and sharing them however, has not been given much effort to date. Hesh and I plan to showcase more of these trinkets eventually on our website, but there always seem to be too many guitars that need fixing to stop and shoot/edit photos. More will come as time allows though.

[Frank Ford]

Having the plate drop away and being able to index it back into position sounds like a real advantage.  When I made up my jig, I tried to add ultimate flexibility in setup, but neglected that idea.  I had a variety of those De-Sta-Co toggle clamps on hand, and made rest of the stuff myself, building on some ideas I'd seen  others do.  I was getting into metal work, so I kinda overdid a few things, like making my own thumbscrews, partly as a matter of machining practice.

I don't use it all that often because of setup time, but when I do, it's a real life-saver.

[Ned Knepp]

Honestly, Frank, do you EVERY do anything halfway?

My jigs look like something made from Lincoln logs and scarp plywood from a backyard table. You guys make things from what ever is laying around that work for years. I'm lucky if my quick jigs last through the operation they were created for.

[David Collins]

Fantastic Frank - they seem remarkably similar in design, which I suppose should be little surprise as they aim to serve the same function. Your's of course is a much cleaner specimen of craftsmanship, while mine is admittedly a bit more crude from a toolmaker's perspective. I'll have to fall back on the excuse that I had no mill or lathe when I made it in my old basement, and since I've failed to find any major flaws in function I've not been too inspired to make a cleaner version 2.0.

The setup on mine is incredibly quick and easy though, which makes headstock repairs so much more enjoyable (and profitable) to do.

[Andrew]

Great Design David. I see no need for a cleaner version, rough jigs have a certain nostalgic appeal, especially when they work so well.Ill be making one in the future. Im gonna try it mostly out of wood though as I have no way to mill metals, and I like beefy wood jigs, vises etc. Then Ill just have to find a place for it when its not in use - thatll be the hard part.

[Robbie Collins]

If NASA built a jig....

[J R Emmett]

My compliments David.  The way you build is what I refer to as "Engineering on the fly."  It is a fun and rewarding way to work.  The results you post here are a testament to your creativity and skill.

[Thomas James]

Thanks David! Very nice design work. Your generosity is much appreciated. Tom

[Kerry Krishna]

I started building this around 4 weeks ago, and just finished it tonight after an afternoon delivery from Lee Valley tools of the specialized Cam Clamps. Thanks so much to David Collins for this amazing design...

[Kerry Krishna]

Next