Any luthiers that could help

A

Ahpook

New member
Hello Everyone. I am currently modifying a Baja Telecaster with double humbuckers and body binding front and back :) The routing went fine for the hum cavities and the binding channels but actually installing the binding caused a bit of a hitch.

When bending the binding around the 90 degree angle near the neck pocket, the binding cracked slightly. I realize now the piece should have been heated, but the damage is done. Any ideas to help blend it back in? From what I understand acetone melts plastic binding. Perhaps a Q-Tip dipped in acetone and rubbed on that area would cure the crack?

Any other ideas? Thanks
 
Re: Any luthiers that could help

You can try and blend......some of the binding held in a bath of acetone then scraped over the area will fill the hole......but in a few cases with brittle binding material and tight bends I've had an invisible fix is very hard.
 
Re: Any luthiers that could help

Thank you for the reply. I have some binding left over so may try that.

What a drag! The whole build has been really fun and a learning experience for me. Can't complain I suppose :)
 
Re: Any luthiers that could help

How bad is the crack? The usual repair is some melted binding, but you have to get it into the crack. A small crack can be melted together carefully using a soldering iron and then scraped flush. Hard to suggest the best course of action without seeing it
 
Any luthiers that could help

For tight bends I heat plastic binding with a heat gun.

I mostly use super glue for gluing binding. But acetone works.

As other have said you can make a paste from melting pieces of binding in acetone... if it’s the right type of plastic.

Otherwise I just splice a new piece on. Like I did here. After it’s sanded/scraped you can’t see the splice.

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Re: Any luthiers that could help

What is binding made of?

I work with bonding and forming plastics at work
Polycarbonate
Polyurethane
Polypropylene
Polyvinyl

All that

If I had more idea of what it is I may be able to shed some light on it
 
Re: Any luthiers that could help

ABS
Says in text that acetone bonds it
I would get a small piece an bend that with acetone
Get some wax paper, they make teflon paper for this but wax paper will work
After filling it in
Heat gun then lay the wax paper over the softened plastic
The wax paper keeps the plastic from sticking to the putty knife
That you use to mash it smooth
Sand a bit the heat will take the sanding Mark's out
 
Re: Any luthiers that could help

ABS and MEK are used for "solvent bonding." It is not like glue and won't fill gaps, it turns the ABS in to what is technically know as gooey :) For a successful solvent bond you usually need to soften both sides of the joint and apply pressure. Avoid a qtip because it will leave fuzz. As someone mentioned you can take some extra ABS, soak it and make it gooey, soften up the ends of the joint, and push the goo in there. Soldering iron works but very tough not to discolor.
 
Re: Any luthiers that could help

Think I will try the "goo" method. I have a heat gun now so hopefully this will fix it up.

Thanks Everyone
 
Re: Any luthiers that could help

Nail polish remover is acetone

So is PVC primer
Get the clear not the purple

MEK is acetone that doesn't evaporate as quickly

Acetone will break down superglue
 
Re: Any luthiers that could help

ehdwuld said:
Nail polish remover is acetone

So is PVC primer
Get the clear not the purple
Click to expand...

Nail polish remover is also deleted with water and other ingredients. A can of acetone is cheap enough and it’s always handy to have.


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Re: Any luthiers that could help

Minor update! The binding goo worked extremely well. Slathered the paste in the crack and let it harden for a few hours. After sanding it back to shape the crack is gone :)

Thank you everyone for the suggestions
 
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