#1
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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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Yairi FY84 1987 Guild D50 1967 Harmony arch top 1966 Gibson LG1 1985 dobro resonator Gretsch Jim Dandy Partscaster Tele. Cigar box Dulcimer |
#2
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Clamps if they are top braces.
Steve
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Cole Clark Fat Lady Gretsch Electromatic Martin CEO7 Maton Messiah Taylor 814CE |
#3
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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. |
#4
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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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Tim B |
#5
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Brace jacks are just tiny turnbuckles, available at many hardware/home repair stores...
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#6
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Thanks lads
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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 |
#7
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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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"Still a man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest." --Paul Simon |
#8
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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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Maton CE60D Ibanez Blazer Washburn Taurus T25NMK |
#9
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#10
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OK, but what if you fill the balloon with helium?
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Fred |
#11
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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
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Quote:
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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 |
#13
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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
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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. |