Neck gluing left a small gap...how do I deal with this?

[Paul Tinney]

I have a small (very small) gap along the edge of a fingerboard where it meets the guitar top.  It is unsightly more than anything.  I'd like to loosen/soften the glue and try to re-clamp it to see if I can get a clean tight fit.  I've seen a hot putty knife be very effective for a neck removal but I don't need to go that far.  Or...should I just try to fill it with some dust and CA (that would make a nightmare clean up).

What is the best "no touch" way to heat up this glue and try to re-clamp the fingerboard? 

Any suggestions, greatly appreciated.

[Paul Verticchio]

Hi Paul.

What would look great is an ebony filler strip. It would compliment the FB. btw: nice rounding on the end of the FB. That's understated 'classy'. It's a cool look!

I don't see where this gap will cause any structural or function issues. The tongue of the FB is on there solidly, right?

Other than a filler strip (of the wood of your choice), wood dust & CA would work fine.

These are only my observations and others may have better ideas.  We have the best 'idea folks' on the planet on this forum.

Best of luck with the rest of your project,

One of the other Pauls :)

[Paul Tinney]

Thank you other Paul.  Yes, the tongue isn't going anywhere; it's solid.  My concern about filler, wood or dust, is that the finish on the top is all French Polish and very susceptible to damage.  It I undertake anything that would require cleaning up the joint, it could create more work than what I started with. 

The real pisser is that I know exactly what happened; a real rookie mistake!  It's a pre-radiused fingerboard and I didn't have a radiused caul for.  So when I glued it, there just wasn't enough uniform pressure to clamp down the edge and probably too much in the center.  It's a good fit, the dry fit was perfect.  I just keep thinking if I can somehow soften the glue, I can reclamp it properly and get a clean fit.  It's standard Tightbond wood glue.

Steam, hot water??

Paul

[Frank Ford]

This is a great time to break out the ol' paste pore filler.  Dark colored oil-based filler won't attack the finish at all, can be rubbed (carefully) into the crack and the excess wiped off neatly.  In a small gap like that, it will be nearly unnoticed (sort of).

Anything you do to remove or loosen the board will risk damage to the sensitive finish.

Failing the paste filler, you can use some colorant to tint a small batch of Titebond, and rub that in, wipe it off with a damp cloth, and get a semi-decent fill with no risk.

[Paul Tinney]

Fantastic.  That would work.  Just have to match the color to the purple heart binding.  What is your filler of choice?

[Glen H]

You can try running a bead of elmers glue into it.  Wipe out the excess until there is just a smidgen in it. It dries clear.

[Hesh Breakstone]

Another thing that might be helpful if you really want to fill the gap is to mix dust from the binding material with that awful, useless, crappy Franklin bottled hide glue to the consistency of cold cream and then pack it in the gap.  It's about the only thing that I can think of that the bottled hide glue might be tolerable for.  As always a dry run and practicing on some scrap is always a good idea.

I'm wondering too if you flatten the upper bought in preparation for the fretboard extension?  

[Paul Tinney]

I did sand it down past the finish but on a 28' radius top I've never had this problem. Of course that has always been with a flat fingerboard.

[Mark A. Kane]

Mohawk makes a soft fill stick in dozens of colors. I often shred a small amount along a crack and heat it with a small heat gun. The little bits soften at a temp low enough to not bother the surrounding finish, and sometimes will simply run into the crack. Or,  I often rub the softened pieces into the crack. It's simpler than it sounds, and if you have a good eye for color the fill is indiscernable (or darn close). 

I'm curious about Frank's method utilizing pore filler. I don't have much experience with the stuff. Does it accept colors? It makes me wonder if it's what Taylor uses to fill the gaps around their neck joints, as the consistency is about the same.

[William F.Eden]

I wounder if Frank is not talking obout the new color  water base Timber Mate filler that STU mac is selling it comes in a lot of different colors. Just get some low tack masking tape and get it up real close to the fret board and you wont have very much cleaning up to do. Bill..............