Fixing Cracked Bobbin

Kamanda~SD

Kamanda~SD

New member
Hey guys!

Opened up my case today to find this...How this happened I dunno (only picks floating around in there, wasn't sitting in the cold etc.) but anyways.

Still works so I'm hoping I can repair this to prevent further damage. Was thinking just putting a dab of locktite on there but want to make sure I'm not going to **** anything up with the windings.

20161117_073414.jpg
 
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

Wow that totally sucks!! Maybe something smashed up against the case and it got squeezed as a result??
You might be able to fix that with super glue, but hopefully it didn't damage the coil winding.

What kind of pickup is it?
 
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

i think you could fix it. as long as the pup is still working the coil is fine. im not sure what to use that wont react with the bobbin and do everything you can to keep it away from the coil
 
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

jeremy said:
i think you could fix it. as long as the pup is still working the coil is fine. im not sure what to use that wont react with the bobbin and do everything you can to keep it away from the coil
Click to expand...
Yeah and it looks like the screw will need to be backed out a little bit until the glue dries. And you won't need much glue, in fact you may want to apply it with a tooth pick so you don't inadvertently apply too much glue and get a lot of squeeze out when you join them together.

You can put some vasoline on the tops of the bobbins so once it dries, you can simply wipe it off. Don't need a whole lot, just the thinnest film will do the trick.
Perhaps some very light sanding and polishing will be needed make it disappear totally...
 
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

metalchurch79 said:
Yeah and it looks like the screw will need to be backed out a little bit until the glue dries. And you won't need much glue, in fact you may want to apply it with a tooth pick so you don't inadvertently apply too much glue and get a lot of squeeze out when you join them together.

You can put some vasoline on the tops of the bobbins so once it dries, you can simply wipe it off. Don't need a whole lot, just the thinnest film will do the trick.
Perhaps some very light sanding and polishing will be needed make it disappear totally...
Click to expand...

Yes.

Use a toothpick with a drop of glue on it.

Don't try to squeeze glue out of a tube or whatever container it's in, because it'll get all over everything and if you try to wipe it off it'll look even worse.

As it is, you're going to have a little "squeeze out" when you press the two pieces together.

I'd leave it to dry and not try to wipe it off while it's wet.

I'd probably use super glue and put a drop on a toothpick to apply it.
 
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

Thanks for the tips everyone! I will report back soon.

Yeah, no idea what could have cause it. Hard case with nothing but picks inside, and nothing was sitting ontop of it, it was in-between my front and back seats like I have it every week!

It's a JB FYI
 
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

Well, hopefully you get it fixed up... and if not, youll at least have the other side to use as a donor to make a hybrid.
 
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

Kamanda~SD said:
Thanks for the tips everyone! I will report back soon.

Yeah, no idea what could have cause it. Hard case with nothing but picks inside, and nothing was sitting ontop of it, it was in-between my front and back seats like I have it every week!

It's a JB FYI
Click to expand...

I have a 20 year old 59n with a similar crack. And I've seen others.

In my case the crack is at the B string polepiece and it cracked all the way across.

Works fine.

I haven't bothered to repair it.
 
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

Besides maybe a couple guitar nuts, I've never had much luck with super glue on any kind of plastic. But, I usually buy the cheap super glue so maybe that's it. I've had better luck with the two part epoxies made for plastics. Maybe try that if the super glue doesn't work out. JB Weld makes some. I've never had to glue a bobbin.
 
Last edited:
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

I've had a bobbin slit or 2 to deal with. I was told to try and avoid glues that emit heat as they activate....I think it was to do with disturbing the pickup wire insulation.
 
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

i like 2 part epoxy too but for this i would use super glue, but try to use the thick gel like one, there are 3 densities of super glue, one which is almost like water, the normal one and the very thick stuff, i'd use the thick one and apply it with a toothpick as said above
 
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

Silence Kid said:
Temp. or humidity?
Click to expand...

Can't see it being a factor here, home > car > jamspace > car > home. Never sat in car if I wasn't driving and it hasn't got cold here yet.

Anyways I FIXED IT! Thanks for all the suggestions. It's not quite as clean as I'd like it (couldn't get all the squeeze-out cleaned up 100%) but that baby is sealed and working fine.

Loctite 404 applied with a toothpick.

Thanks to all!
 
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

Awesome! I have hairline cracks in some of my pickups. I don't know what causes it, but they work fine, and there are no problems with any of them. The cracks aren't getting bigger, so I don't know how deep they go.
 
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

Yeah if it was hairline I wouldn't care. Seeing the copper underneath is what made me nervous.

Silence Kid - Good point haha but that pickups been in there for...oh jeeze...5-6 years?

Yeah I'll post a pic...from 3ft away as like I said, didn't turn out quite as clean as I'd like hah
 
Re: Fixing Cracked Bobbin

Epoxy with a hardener. Super glue will result in smooth repair but it's so thin it can leak into the coil. Epoxy will blend pretty good cause it's black.
 
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