Ca over hide glue ?

[Dave Anderson]

Hi guys, I was just gluing a tight crack in the front of the saddle slot in an old Martin. I used hot hide glue but I'm not real sure much of the glue actually wicked down into the crack. I did heat the bridge before and moved the front of the bridge a little to work the glue in. My question is...Would wicking thin CA around the area be all right after using the HHG ? I just hope the hide glue did the trick !

.

[Tom Krebs]

Is the crack is on bridge or in the top? - If the crack radiates from saddle slot; my experience is that neither glue will hold that crack well for long. Might need a new bridge? I'm not sure about mixing the two glues, but you could thin out more hide glue.

[Dave Anderson]

thanks Tom, The crack is just the bridge not the top. I agree on the new bridge but the owner wants me to save this vintage bridge so I'm trying to do that. Under string tension,you can see a small gap in the rear/center of the slot with the saddle leaning .I can move that front piece of the bridge by prying lightly. Do you think adding a slightly deeper slot in the center would add some strength or weaken the bridge ?

[FRANK]

yes your on to something thin ca and hide glue no comparison ca way better at wicking

[Dave Anderson]

Thanks Paul,yes, it makes sense being water thin that CA would wick better but I wonder how thin to take hide glue ? Watering it down must sap some of the strength, don't you think?

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

Yes it will (see Frank Ford's website).

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

I agree with Tom, just gluing the bridge can be a little too weak. If I really wanted to save the bridge, I would take it from the top, inlay it with a cross grain piece of the same wood from below, fill the crack with CA and re-glue it in place. Here are a pics I took from a old bridge I saved like this.

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

More pics.

[Dave Anderson]

That's a good idea Pierre. Thanks

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

Pic? :)

[Mike Fleck]

If the crack is at the end of the saddle slot I have had success wicking CA into the crack, then filling slot with whatever wood the bridge is made from, and re-routing slot. I will shim my saddle routing template a bit so that the saddle slot is no longer perpendicular to the top, but canted back a bit (top of saddle angled slightly towards bridge pins), and possibly move its location a bit if intonation will allow me, Stew Mac Intonator is good for checking that. I only do this with cracks that naturally shut when the string tension taken off of guitar. Replace the bridge in other cases.

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

Another good idea!

[Dave Anderson]

Yes,the crack is at the treble side of the slot Mike. Now that the glue has dried (both hide and CA) it is better with no movement. I have filled the slot and re-routed it.I also angled the template slightly. I'm going to use a slightly wider saddle this time..
A problem with this bridge is that someone had sanded it down
too thin so there is not a lot of depth on the treble side of the slot. One more attempt at using this bridge
then its time to make a new one! Thanks.

How do you load pics here?