2 piece walnut body, separating at each end a bit
Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2016 8:12 pm
Hello, its been a while and very nice to be back!
I may have rushed into this "fix" but here it goes.
A 2-piece walnut body that I began many years ago started to separate at the top and bottom. It didn't occur to me that an unfinished body would have done this over time. What I did as a way to hopefully recouple the wood at the top and bottom of the body was to use a 1" Forstner bit to 1.) drill a hole through the neck pocket, front to back. And 2, come up through the bottom of the body about 2.5 inches.
My theory was that filling these holes with a piece of 1" Walnut dowel section would reconnect or recouple the wood where it had gradually began to separate over time. One of the things that drove me to do this was that when the guitar was originally shaped (a Stratocaster body shape more of less) it had a very distinct and resonant tap tone. After inspecting it after a couple of years of sitting, the tap tone seemed to be much less resounding and distinct. I had to wonder if the body had lost some it its original resonance do to the separation of the 2 sections. I should have checked with the experts first before doing this but, here it is.
Now that I've done this, I'm willing to go forward with filling the holes with the walnut dowel but, 2 concerns. It makes good sense that I won't want to use a glue that will expand, or a glue that caused the wood to expand for risk of pushing the 2 pieces apart, causing further problems. I was hoping some of you folks could offer me solution that would give a strong bond between the separating ends, and do so with out swelling or expanding. Am I on the right track here? I have heard that epoxy is the least likely to expand so, without any advice, that is probably the way I would go for good or bad. I liked the idea of hide glue also as its been toted to pull wood together while drying. But, that may depend on how well the surfaces meet. And I have no idea just how well that will happen. I can't say for sure how straight or even the forstner bit traveled as it made the hole, especially the longer one at the bottom of the guitar.
Any feedback will be very welcomed here. I'm really curious to know how some of you might go forward. I'd really like to get this project nearing to the finished side soon!
Thank you all so much.
Phil Donovan
I may have rushed into this "fix" but here it goes.
A 2-piece walnut body that I began many years ago started to separate at the top and bottom. It didn't occur to me that an unfinished body would have done this over time. What I did as a way to hopefully recouple the wood at the top and bottom of the body was to use a 1" Forstner bit to 1.) drill a hole through the neck pocket, front to back. And 2, come up through the bottom of the body about 2.5 inches.
My theory was that filling these holes with a piece of 1" Walnut dowel section would reconnect or recouple the wood where it had gradually began to separate over time. One of the things that drove me to do this was that when the guitar was originally shaped (a Stratocaster body shape more of less) it had a very distinct and resonant tap tone. After inspecting it after a couple of years of sitting, the tap tone seemed to be much less resounding and distinct. I had to wonder if the body had lost some it its original resonance do to the separation of the 2 sections. I should have checked with the experts first before doing this but, here it is.
Now that I've done this, I'm willing to go forward with filling the holes with the walnut dowel but, 2 concerns. It makes good sense that I won't want to use a glue that will expand, or a glue that caused the wood to expand for risk of pushing the 2 pieces apart, causing further problems. I was hoping some of you folks could offer me solution that would give a strong bond between the separating ends, and do so with out swelling or expanding. Am I on the right track here? I have heard that epoxy is the least likely to expand so, without any advice, that is probably the way I would go for good or bad. I liked the idea of hide glue also as its been toted to pull wood together while drying. But, that may depend on how well the surfaces meet. And I have no idea just how well that will happen. I can't say for sure how straight or even the forstner bit traveled as it made the hole, especially the longer one at the bottom of the guitar.
Any feedback will be very welcomed here. I'm really curious to know how some of you might go forward. I'd really like to get this project nearing to the finished side soon!
Thank you all so much.
Phil Donovan