Nut wear and fill

[rodmbds]

Hello everyone. Currently I've got an electric, steel acoustic, travel size nylon and a ukulele. Out of the four, only the steel acoustic has got a bone but.

I've tried and tried having a nut blank, shaping it and etc. Honestly, I realized I don't really have the talent nor the right tools for the job. I can, though, adjust the height in previous made nuts and saddles, as I have done with my guitars.

Also, I'm pretty (very) happy with the way all of my guitars sound and play. Saddle and nut height are just fine. I don't mind having plastic nuts as far as tone goes.

Thing is, I'm really satisfied with nut heights that I'm actually thinking about how long do they take to wear down and what could I do about it.

I thought about the baking soda or bone dust with superglue "trick". I tried before and I think it's too messy, I mean, great for recutting the slot but I'm into something to simply fill what was (or will be) worn by the strings. Ideas:

1) Araldite? Or super glue in gel form? Would it attach and harden enough?
2) Insist with super glue and bone dust?
3) thought of melting some plastic, fill, let it harden and file it down?

When I tried filling just the tiny worn part with bone dust and super glue, what happened was, when reshaping and filling the nut, it pops out as it's just so tiny! Would it be worth filing down even further so there's as bigger gap, use the bone dust and super glue thing, then there's more material when I've finished adjusting the height.

Guys, what are your ideas and thoughts about this? Of course, all in all, I know it's best to just replace the nut. But I'd like to know if there's a better and easier fix for just filling back what was worn over time. Thanks a lot!

[Rodger Knox]

I bet you're not getting any replies because nuts don't usually wear that quickly, and any tech worth his salt would make a new nut.

[Frank Ford]

If you are filling a slot in a plastic nut, be aware that some of them are really inert, slippery things to which adhesives simply don't stick. That said, you might have good success if you give the glue something to "key" into, like a tiny little hole drilled straight down.

For shallow filling, skip the bone dust, and use cyanoacrylate only. Be sure not to use the accelerator, but instead let it harden at least overnight on its own.

Doc says I have to cut down on the salt. . .

[Rodger Knox]

Forget what I said, you've just gotten advice from one of the best repairmen in the world.

[srick]

Originally Posted by Rodger Knox

Forget what I said, you've just gotten advice from one of the best repairmen in the world.

And now Frank has been compared to Michael Jordan! <G,D and R>

[srick]

Btw - concerning adhesion, I have had good luck etching the bone with a little phosphoric acid (Naval Jelly) for 15-30 seconds. Just apply a little in the slot, then rinse and thorougly dry. It removes calcium from the bone leaving an 'etched' surface. The CA should hold better.

(This is how we dentists hold white fillings in teeth)

best,

Rick

[rodmbds]

Thanks a million for the advice guys. I guess I'll go with just super glue as frank said, cause it's just a shallow filling. I'll also try shimming up from the bottom with the labels as mentioned in another thread, compare both and see.