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  #1  
Old 07-14-2017, 10:40 AM
AJ Ray AJ Ray is offline
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Default Small crack in heel cap area after strap screw fitted



Hard to see but I'm just wondering what could be done to fix. There is a hairline above and below the strap pin. My local tack reckoned leave it but I won't use the strap so thought about removing and fixing
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Old 07-14-2017, 03:32 PM
Shuksan Shuksan is offline
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Does the neck have an actual heel cap as in a separate piece of wood attached to the bottom end of the heel? It's hard to tell from the photo. If it has a heel cap and the hairline crack is only in the cap, I wouldn't worry about it because the crack shouldn't migrate into the heel and the heel cap is not going to fall off. If the crack extends into the heel or if there is not a true heel cap and the crack is actually in the heel itself, then you probably want to avoid putting any load on the heel by using the strap button. In that case, it might be a good idea to just remove the strap button so it can't get used and fill the hole.

Since there is a step down from the back surface to the surface of the heel bottom, one option you could consider if the crack bothers you is to make a thin heel cap from ebony or whatever wood suits your fancy and glue it on over the existing bottom of the heel. That would cover the crack, reinforce the crack, and cover the strap button hole all in one step.
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Old 07-14-2017, 03:43 PM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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IMHO, that is a bad place for a strap button. Not only is the neck weak at the bottom of the heel, but the guitar hangs funny on the strap. Thirdly, the guitar rests on the button when it is laid in the case (or anywhere else).
Since you don't use the button, I would remove it and replace the heel cap. That will address both the crack and the screw hole. If you choose to retain the heel cap, the crack can be repaired with thin super glue.
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Old 07-14-2017, 03:54 PM
AJ Ray AJ Ray is offline
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Thank you for the replies so far guys. I appreciate it.

To be clear:

there is no heel cap, it is the heel of the neck. I like the idea of removing the strap pin and filling the hole. Will the crack continue to worsen? What should it be filled with?
I want it to be structurally secure.... And neat as possible of course
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Old 07-14-2017, 04:14 PM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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I fill the screw hole with a mahogany dowel. To make the dowel, I chuck a piece of mahogany in a hand drill and sand it until it is the proper size, which is usually about 4mm or 5/32".
Since there is no heel cap, I would install one. Rosewood, probably.
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Old 07-14-2017, 04:29 PM
AJ Ray AJ Ray is offline
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And what would you do with the spare space around the dowel and the cracks above and below?

Thanks for your input
Ray
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Old 07-15-2017, 12:37 AM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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What spare space? The cracks are glued with thin super glue, as outlined in my first post. The heel cap covers the entire bottom of the heel. If you add a heel cap, it is not even necessary to plug the hole.
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Old 07-15-2017, 01:15 AM
mirwa mirwa is offline
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If you have a crack there from the fitment of the strap screw, then likely the pilot hole was not drilled big enough.

You can repair the crack and open the pilot hole up further and then refit.
I do agree with other peoples comments that it's not the best location.

Steve
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Old 07-15-2017, 02:08 AM
AJ Ray AJ Ray is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arnold View Post
What spare space? The cracks are glued with thin super glue, as outlined in my first post. The heel cap covers the entire bottom of the heel. If you add a heel cap, it is not even necessary to plug the hole.



If you zoom in you can see the crack above and below.
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  #10  
Old 07-15-2017, 02:22 AM
AJ Ray AJ Ray is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arnold View Post
What spare space? The cracks are glued with thin super glue, as outlined in my first post. The heel cap covers the entire bottom of the heel. If you add a heel cap, it is not even necessary to plug the hole.



If you zoom in you can see the crack above and below.


Sorry wrong picture. Please see below

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  #11  
Old 07-15-2017, 02:25 AM
AJ Ray AJ Ray is offline
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Sorry the proper link isn't working. There is a picture which shows it although photo bucket isn't working correctly
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  #12  
Old 07-15-2017, 08:31 AM
Wozer Wozer is offline
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my 30+ years of being a trim carpenter says that is a very bad place to put a screw in any event...even a properly drilled pilot hole would still need a larger diameter hole for the last part of the screw if it's unthreaded as many screws are. e.g. one drills the proper pilot hole (and I'm not talking about the standard 7/64" generic hole for #7-#9 screws) and then drills just deep enough to compensate for the solid part of the screw shank.
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  #13  
Old 07-15-2017, 01:00 PM
AJ Ray AJ Ray is offline
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Thanks for your input everyone. I should say. I didn't put the peg there. It wasn't me. I use want to know what can be done to fix it. Thanks for taking an interest none the less
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  #14  
Old 07-16-2017, 06:30 AM
AJ Ray AJ Ray is offline
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My local guitar techsaid he would run some cyanoacrylate into it ... and maybe check there was a pilot hole drilled, in the first place.*
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