MIMF

I would use Infra Red lamps in clamp light fixtures for this, at least two of them. The finger board will stay clear of encumbrances allowing you to configure your clamps while simultaneously heating. I use Infra Red lamps regularly when using hot hide glue. They really heat things up and are easy t...

Im looking for a glue that will dry pretty clear,on quality professional projects . Ive been a woodworker for over 35 years now and still have the quest for a wood glue that will dry clear. Funny in the marine business,we used weldwood plastic resin glue for teak and mahogany,because it was waterpr...

I start my string slots with a jig saw blade and use Bosch's sharpened blades that are alternating teeth with no set to them. They are glued into dowel rod handles. I follow up with a tapered, round needle file to final depth and diameter. I used to do them start to finish with the needle files only...

My take is that if it is a working instrument, it needs to be kept reasonably serviceable and rusty screws don't help with that. I do work for a guy and tease him about being Acid Man because his sweat can strip the lacquer off of a neck in one gig. Six months of gigging and anything that is not Sta...

If you have ever experimented with trying to heat reflective things with Infra Red lamps, you will wait a long time. The Infra Red light is reflected and won't heat unless the light is absorbed. I just use White paper most of the time as a heat shield with Infra Red, works almost as well as a reflec...

Yes, I made my bridge heater curved using a rather low tech method. I blocked the Aluminum on either end and beat a curve into it with a large peen hammer. A small block heats the bridge ears one at a time. I don't bother trying to heat the entire bridge evenly but concentrate on one end, then the o...

Murry, I make heating cauls from Aluminum scrap I get at a local machine shop. I stole the idea from the one sold in the StewMac catalog. Cuts easily enough in my band saw and be cleaned up with my 1" belt/ disc sander and mill files. I made the grooves for fret clearance on my table saw with a...

Magnets can work quite well for loose brace repair in difficult places but there is a bit of a learning curve to their SAFE use. I made these very simple fixtures, with the magnets double stick taped on. I think the image gets the idea across and solves how you get a magnet to balance on top of a br...

Michael Lewis wrote:Man! What a time soak! Betcha can't read just one page.

No, I couldn't...clock ticking...page after page...Oh-Oh, here comes the boss!

Great stuff!

Martin uses 3M #PR60056.

I looked at the data sheet for this stuff and it is a cyanoacrylate formulated for plastics and rubbers, it's medium viscosity. Looks like they also offer a low viscosity and gel formulas.

It is a British made Zither banjo mandolin. These heavy necked, small pot instruments where milled out in the thousands. The label, which I can't read, is likely a distributor or trade name. I refurbished one of these several years ago that is quite similar, although the pot size on mine may be slig...

http://www.bishopcochran.com/ Check out Bishop Cochran's plunge bases, very high quality. In my book well worth the purchase price. I have owned a base for a Porter cable 310 router base for 8 years or so, a real asset to my arsenal. The only down side for me is that Porter cable discontinued the 31...

I photographed this device recently, designed for high wind/ tornado warnings.

Lots of great information on nut/ saddle compensation here.

http://www.setitupbetter.com/

That's great Roger, glad it went well for you.

There is only one way to find out and you won't be out anything, except some time, give it a go. In all likely-hood, the skin will work just fine but skin banjo heads can dry rot over time. Soak it in water and see how supple and stretchy it feels. You can let it dry after the experiment and re-wet ...

The bottled liquid hide glue is unreliable, why even take a chance on using it for a glue joint that you hope will be both strong and enduring? Some claim no issues while others have had complete disappointments. Matt mentions a couple of successes but neither examples require the strength you need ...

Just posted a response to this question over at Frets.net. The example used is a Hurdy Gurdy but the processes are the same. http://fretsnet.ning.com/forum/topics/cracked-top Your guitar is suffering from a lack of humidity. Close it up inside of it's case, or better yet, a plastic bag with a damp s...

The guitar is not braced for steel strings with a fixed bridge but they could be used with a tailpiece and a floating (not glued on) bridge. The bridge saddle on it now is straight across, steel strings would not play in tune with the saddle like that, it would need to be slanted (compensated). It i...

Sweet!