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  #1  
Old 06-28-2017, 01:39 AM
littlebobby littlebobby is offline
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Default Brace repair question

Bought a beat up harmony 6162 for next to nowt on eBay to practice fixing things up. Two cracked braces after something's been dropped on it. Looking at brace repair jacks but nobody in the uk seems to stock them. Any alternative techniques accessible to a first timer that aren't too technical (I'm a bit hamfisted).
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  #2  
Old 06-28-2017, 04:45 AM
mirwa mirwa is offline
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Clamps if they are top braces.

Steve
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Old 06-28-2017, 07:45 AM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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If you can't get clamps to reach, as Steve suggested, use the equivalent of popsicle sticks cut to an appropriate length and propped in place against the cracked brace. Any type of wood will work for props, but preferably thicker than a popsicle stick, to distribute the pressure on the brace.

Cut the props slightly longer than fit between the brace and the opposing surface and gently wedge the prop in place. Place a clamp with light pressure on the outside of the instrument to oppose the prop.
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Old 06-28-2017, 10:30 AM
Ben-Had Ben-Had is offline
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You may find the use of magnets helpful as well, especially in places you can't reach. With the right setup you can drag them into position and get some pretty good clamping force with them (neodymium magnets). Or use them to drag props into position.
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Old 06-28-2017, 10:39 AM
Halcyon/Tinker Halcyon/Tinker is offline
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Brace jacks are just tiny turnbuckles, available at many hardware/home repair stores...
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Old 06-28-2017, 11:08 AM
littlebobby littlebobby is offline
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Thanks lads
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Old 06-28-2017, 11:50 AM
Howard Klepper Howard Klepper is offline
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Notch the end of an appropriately size dowel and push it up into place. Or use a cheap machinist's jack.

You can easily break the top using jacks. Be careful. You may need to get a clamp around the outside of the guitar at the jack location.
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Old 06-29-2017, 05:13 AM
LSemmens LSemmens is offline
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As a thought, WARNING, I have never tried this, so cannot even say that it works but, would using a balloon give you enough pressure to hold the brace? Guitar builders, please shoot me down in flames if this is a silly idea.
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Old 06-29-2017, 08:46 AM
murrmac123 murrmac123 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LSemmens View Post
As a thought, WARNING, I have never tried this, so cannot even say that it works but, would using a balloon give you enough pressure to hold the brace? Guitar builders, please shoot me down in flames if this is a silly idea.
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  #10  
Old 06-30-2017, 06:30 AM
printer2 printer2 is offline
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OK, but what if you fill the balloon with helium?
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Old 06-30-2017, 01:27 PM
M Hayden M Hayden is offline
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I've used a backer on the outside of the instrument on the top and back (basically a flexible piece of pine of some sort, about 19mm thick, lined with felt) to prevent the top and back deforming or cracking from the force. It allows me to put some force behind the dowel or popsicle stick or other go-bar-like device without risking cracks to the top.
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  #12  
Old 07-01-2017, 05:17 AM
littlebobby littlebobby is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by M Hayden View Post
I've used a backer on the outside of the instrument on the top and back (basically a flexible piece of pine of some sort, about 19mm thick, lined with felt) to prevent the top and back deforming or cracking from the force. It allows me to put some force behind the dowel or popsicle stick or other go-bar-like device without risking cracks to the top.
Thanks sir.
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Yairi FY84
1987 Guild D50
1967 Harmony arch top
1966 Gibson LG1
1985 dobro resonator
Gretsch Jim Dandy
Partscaster Tele.
Cigar box
Dulcimer
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  #13  
Old 07-10-2017, 06:49 PM
Truckjohn Truckjohn is offline
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Stick with comventional repair methods. They have been worked out over the past 3,000+ years of instrument repair history. You can make a cheap brace jack using turnbuckles uses to tighten clothes lines. Or simply as Charles points out - using popsicle sticks....
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  #14  
Old 07-10-2017, 07:09 PM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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99% of the time, I use popsicle sticks wedged in place. I clip them to length using my fret pulling nippers.
Sometimes I clamp on the outside of the body. This clamp is homemade.....consisting of two 1 1/4" X 2" X 18" oak boards that have 1/4" threaded rods through holes on each end. Four wing nuts are used to tighten the clamps. Normally, outside clamping is only necessary when there are several popsicle sticks which can bulge the top or back.
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