BRIDGE REMOVAL AND RE GLUE

[FRANK]

so I have like 3 or 4 different guitars i need to remove bridges on and so what clamps work best for your operation and where did you get your steam and if you can please explain your operation to me? i have seen lmii s clamps and stew mac clamps just kinda looking for a review of each one and how the person felt using them

[Bob Webster]

Hi, Paul. Please remember that I just do classicals. Still, I can help a little. To get the bridge off, I mask very carefully aroung the bridge with aluminum foil, bright side out. I place a 250w heat lamp directly over the bridge and let it heat up until I can feel the bridge pad getting reasonably warm. Then I do the voodoo with the thin spatula to release the bridge. Got to go slow and careful here especially regarding tearout. Make sure the spatula is sneaking under the bridge at as flat an angle as possible.

As for clamping, I've been using vacuum clamping, first with my own device, but now with the LMII rig. Works great. Prior to that I'd used the Fox adjustable bridge caul and cam clamps. However you clamp it up, you'll need some way to keep the bridge from shifting around. Sadly (or not) someone else is going to have to help you on that for steel string bridges.

Cheers,
Bob

[FRANK]

GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU BOB THANKS

[FRANK]

BOB I THINK YOU FORGOT TO MENTION SUN GLASSES

[Tom Krebs]

I use the lamp and/or different sized hunks of 1/4" aluminum with a wooden handles screws onto them. I heat them on my hotplate to about 200 degrees and place those on the bridge. I can alternate them to keep the heat constant. I mask the top like Bob does. I also heat the spatulas during use. I should get one of those electric heating blankets.

I use the Shop Fox Sloane style aluminum clamps. Grizzly sells them for only $8.95 compared to $25 at Stew Mac. I do use the Stew Mac bridge caul, or wood cauls for unusual shapes. I slightly modify both. The clamp has a plastic tip that will wonder especially on the aluminum caul. Pop that off to reveal the ball underneath and then make a corresponding dimple in the caul with a drill. The tip will fit back on easily if you need it later. I also drill a hole in lower jaw of the clamp. That way a can screw little wooden blocks/cauls onto the clamps to clear the top bracing. I use the green 3M masking tape to locate the bridge while clamping.

I tried the black Soundhole Clamps from Stew Mac, but they are frustrating for me to use because of the threaded lower jaw. However, they are light and slender and I still reach for them once in while.

[William F.Eden]

I do much the same as the rest of the boys as far as getting them off but to keep the bridge were you want it to stay I bought two of them bolts that Stu- Mac sells with the hole drilled down through the centre& put one in each of the two outside holes of the bridge.They are small enough that they don't spoil the tapper for your bridge pins.Then all you have to do is buy 3 of the black 5" clamps and use a small piece of wood under each clamp with a bit of corck glued on them to stop from marking your bridge.P>S I do take the bolts out before the glue gets to hard so you can still take the nuts off & I put them in water and clean them up for the next job. Bill.:::::::::::

[FRANK]

William is your last name Eden or Eaton I met a William Eaton in Phoenix AZ once or twice

[Len Biglin]

Hi Paul , I'm about the same as the others , I put a 3/4 wooden caul inside, so the clamps clear the braces.Then I use the nylon(?) non stick tapered pins from Stew and I trim the length so they dont go through the bridge plate and hit the caul , you can let it dry and the pins pull out - I have reused them many times.I find corrugated cardboard works for a mask , and a thin paint scraper shapened then dulled so it wont bight into your spruce.Len

[FRANK]

so guys I popped 3 bridges today and a few small problems popped up the first one went good the second went alright buut the 3rd popped off and i looked i had lifted a very small amount of wood and lacquer up i will get you photos if you request them from me it takes me a 1/2 hour to load them into Picassa and i have time tonight to do that but my question what do you do when small anomalies come at you like this ? also bridge #2 is a Yairi the bridge has some water base color cause it was removing when i wiped it with a damp rag but #2 the bridge is seriously lifting in the rear and pinned down on the sides and when i popped it it stayed that way the top is pretty flat how would you get the bridge to sit flat again?