66 Thunderbird headstock repair issuies

godofthunder · September 13, 2016, 08:52:38 AM

As most of you guys know I went out on a limb buying a original Cardinal red NR Thunderbird II with a headstock repair. Always a leap of faith lol. The bass came with lower gauge strings the E is maybe .100 this made me go hmmmmm. I strung the bass up with my standard gauge Roto Sounds .45-.105 and sure enough the hairline crack opened up, a little paint flaking off in the process. I took off the Rotos and put the lighter gauge strings on and decided to think about how to approach this. Less is always more in these cases, it didn't seem like the entire repair had failed so I gently opened up the crack and pumped in as much Tite Bond as I could and clamped it up. I strung it up with the lighter strings and it seems to be doing fine. I'll play it and test it in travel and playing to see if it opens up, then go to the Rotos, if it handles the Rotos I'll touch it up. Patience grasshoppper , patience. Sorry no before or during the process pic. But here is what it looks like now.

godofthunder · September 13, 2016, 08:57:41 AM

For comparison what it looked like when it arrived.

Dave W · September 13, 2016, 09:47:24 AM

It doesn't look that bad, you've seen a lot worse. The Titebond ought to work but you can always try CA if it doesn't.

godofthunder · September 13, 2016, 10:26:42 AM

Hey Dave I used CA in my RC days I am not sure what products are available these days and which would be applicable.

dadagoboi · September 13, 2016, 02:31:20 PM

Original Titebond has minimal gap filling capabilities. Years ago I read a detail sheet on the Franklin site that said it operates on a molecular level by penetrating the moisture in the two pieces of wood mated together and the ideal is the smallest glue line possible. That's why a good Titebond join always breaks on the wood, not the glue line.

That's not to say it won't work. Where wood touches wood it's incredibly strong but in a gap it has very little strength. It's just not easy to get a perfect mate on something that's been glued before.

If it doesn't hold I'd use epoxy, probably West Systems since you're familiar with their stuff.

Look forward to hearing how it works out, Scott.

FrankieTbird · September 13, 2016, 03:09:05 PM

That's a tough break.

Seriously, it's nearly straight across so not a lot of surface area for gluing. If it comes apart again, probably best to spline it.

godofthunder · September 13, 2016, 03:11:26 PM

Normally I clean a joint before I glue something up, in this case I gently cleaned with a Exacto knife. In the long run I may just play it till it fails on it's own (it may never). Rule #1 do no harm.

godofthunder · September 13, 2016, 04:01:29 PM

On the treble side the break does seem to be right across the grain, it seems to twist and run with the grain on the bass side. There on closer inspection seems to be a thin veneer on about half of the back of the headstock. If it let's go again I was definitely thinking splines.

dadagoboi · September 13, 2016, 04:09:18 PM

Quote from: godofthunder on September 13, 2016, 03:11:26 PM
Normally I clean a joint before I glue something up, in this case I gently cleaned with a Exacto knife. In the long run I may just play it till it fails on it's own (it may never). Rule #1 do no harm.

Hell, yeah!

Dave W · September 13, 2016, 10:47:15 PM

Quote from: godofthunder on September 13, 2016, 10:26:42 AM
Hey Dave I used CA in my RC days I am not sure what products are available these days and which would be applicable.

I haven't done much woodworking in years. The Satellite City Special T in the thick version is what I would use if there were a small gap, if it came to that. Titebond also makes CA now (Instant Bond), Woodcraft carries it, haven't used it though.

As long as you were able to put enough clamping pressure on the joint, the regular Titebond ought to hold.

Highlander · September 14, 2016, 12:38:01 AM

Keepin' 'em crossed... but at least she's in the right hands if it all went NR shaped...

the mojo hobo · March 28, 2017, 04:38:06 PM

Quote from: Dave W on September 13, 2016, 10:47:15 PM
I haven't done much woodworking in years. The Satellite City Special T in the thick version is what I would use if there were a small gap, if it came to that. Titebond also makes CA now (Instant Bond), Woodcraft carries it, haven't used it though.

As long as you were able to put enough clamping pressure on the joint, the regular Titebond ought to hold.

That Special T stuff works great. I used it on my 68 NR that had broke at the truss rod nut leaving very little area for gluing and my previous repair with Titebond lasted a couple of weeks. It failed while sitting on a stand as I watched. It just gave up. After reading this post I ordered Special T and now six months later it is still holding. Only problem is that I didn't realize it is slow setting and the headstock moved after I glued it so it doesn't lean back as far as it should and fits tight in the case. So now I ordered debonder and am going to try to undo and redo the repair.

Thank you Dave for the recommendation.

amptech · March 28, 2017, 11:08:37 PM

Special T for me too, if there is a tiny gap. I try to have both green and yellow at hand, they do come in handy.

Dave W · March 29, 2017, 08:43:18 PM

Fortunately I haven't had to use the debonder, but I've been told it works well.

amptech · March 29, 2017, 11:05:29 PM

Quote from: Dave W on March 29, 2017, 08:43:18 PM
Fortunately I haven't had to use the debonder, but I've been told it works well.

Grown men keep the glues and lubricants in separate rooms