Wanted: Ideas for protecting guitar tops

[Keith Somerville]

In the shop today with an old Harmony with a very flaky finish. Trying to devise ways to protect the top while refretting and so on, but haven't managed to come up with anything really satisfactory. I'm loathe to stick anything to the to with tape etc. as the finish will come away when unstuck. What approach do the rest of you take?

[Steve Bettesworth]

I wrap mine in a plastic bin liner and then cover in card cut from a cardboard box. No problems with that so far.

[Walter W Wright]

know any drummers? 

old drumheads make great guitar top shields once trimmed to shape, especially the single-ply floor tom and kick drum bottom heads. they're tough, thin mylar.

[Robbie Collins]

I use kitchen cutting mats from Walmart. They come in packs of 3 for a couple of bucks a piece. I lay one under the guitar, draw around the shoulders, trim with scissors, and use low tack tape to hold in place. I label them with sharpies for reuse.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Color-Flexible-Cutting-Mat/20531370

[Thomas James]

For fret work, I have been using the same piece of pickguard plastic over a decade. I avoid tape whenever possible.