Steam Damage to Finish

[Steve Bee]

I'm going it alone trying to learn some repair techniques and this will probably be the first of a series..I have a few junkers around so I steamed the neck off an old Yamaha acoustic with a poly finish..It took a lot longer when I learned I had been putting the steam in the 14th fret and not the 15th...Recently, I steamed the neck off an old and battered Epiphone with a nitro finish and hide glue.  The neck actually came off in no time but there was damage to the finish.  I asked a repair friend of mine who has done numerous neck resets how to deal with the finish damage and he said he has never had this problem...That the necks come off in no time flat...I asked if I could mask it off and he said the tape would leave marks on the finish...For kicks I put a little acetone on a qtip and dabbed a small spot which made the white go away but left in a little shiny.  I am wondering if I can do the same with lacquer diluted with thinner...

So is the steam too hot or too much?  I have a modified espresso maker with the stewmac needle...so far I am 2 for 2??? 

[Greg Mirken]

A wipe with alcohol almost always removes superficial white marks. I use a piece of folded blue shop towel, dampened with alcohol. Make 1 wipe toward the edge of the body and wait. Don't scrub or let the pad sit in one place so you don't print the finish.

[Steve Bee]

I will try and let you know...Thank you.

[Mike Kolb]

If memory serves right, it was Frank Ford who came-up with a method to prevent this problem at it's source. I don't recall the exact specifics, but's it's an semi-elaborate system of nozzles that blow cold compressed air across the areas on the neck joint where the steam tends to escape.

Frank, is this anywhere near accurate, or am I thinking of someone or something else?

[Grahame Myers]

You're right, it is another one of Franks brilliant solutions. I knew I'd seen it somewhere on his site, so I went looking for it this evening, only took me an hour :-) I kept on getting sidetracked into re-reading all the cool stuff he has there, Frank is the man!
Here's the link for anone who's interested: http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Tools/AirHarness/airharness...

Grahame

[Steve Bee]

Thanks so much Grahame...I got lost looking at everything too!!! Frank is the man....