Chris Pile
Well-known member
Re: Neck Bowing at Joint?
Just FYI - toothpicks and most dowels are white birch....
Just FYI - toothpicks and most dowels are white birch....
Neck Bowing at Joint?
- Thread starter '59
- Start date
Re: Neck Bowing at Joint?
The toothpick fix is mostly used because people have them already. Its great for things like strap holes where there is less constant pressure on the thread. For mine I would want a dowel.....as a fix you end up with a very large amount of wood and a very small amount of glue. The toothpick fix is almost 30% glue if you think carefully on the way circles fit together.
And especially given that you have had it happen once already, I'd be looking for the most reliable method of fixing it.
You can file then sand the dowel flush once finished. If you cut them close before starting then this is not too time consuming. There are maple dowels about, so try and track some of them down. Craft shops are good sources as well as hardware stores.
The toothpick fix is mostly used because people have them already. Its great for things like strap holes where there is less constant pressure on the thread. For mine I would want a dowel.....as a fix you end up with a very large amount of wood and a very small amount of glue. The toothpick fix is almost 30% glue if you think carefully on the way circles fit together.
And especially given that you have had it happen once already, I'd be looking for the most reliable method of fixing it.
You can file then sand the dowel flush once finished. If you cut them close before starting then this is not too time consuming. There are maple dowels about, so try and track some of them down. Craft shops are good sources as well as hardware stores.
Re: Neck Bowing at Joint?
Which makes them fine for light duty stuff like stripped cavity cover holes.
I agree with you and Alex, I would use hardwood dowels. I'm not a luth. but it just seems to make sense and it's not a lot of work to do it better the first time.
Which makes them fine for light duty stuff like stripped cavity cover holes.
I agree with you and Alex, I would use hardwood dowels. I'm not a luth. but it just seems to make sense and it's not a lot of work to do it better the first time.
Re: Neck Bowing at Joint?
I guarantee that I could fix ANY screw hole, ANY size, in any guitar using toothpicks and wood glue (Titebond, Elmers, etc) and it would be as strong or stronger than any hole you could fix using any method you choose, dowels included.
So this is NOT a strength issue, but a convenience and/or aesthetic issue...dowels being the most aesthetic (when done correctly) and toothpicks being the most convenient (BY FAR!!!). But, since the repair is not visible with either technique, then aesthetics really doesn't play a part.
If you've got a few bucks and couple hours to spare that you have no clue how you are going to spend and nothing better to do, and you don't mind the risk of causing minor or even major damage to your guitar, then by all means go ahead and try the "drill and dowel" technique (I agree that this is the most elegant technique). But if you want to fix the problem right now (well, 1-5 minutes at most) for essentially NO cost and NO risk of damage to your guitar, and end up with the same strength and function, then try toothpicks and glue.
I have been using the toothpick method in home construction, fine furniture building, and guitar repair for 60 years with no problems or failures...no, NOT ONE! That's a pretty good "reliable" reputation in a lot of different applications.
I guarantee that I could fix ANY screw hole, ANY size, in any guitar using toothpicks and wood glue (Titebond, Elmers, etc) and it would be as strong or stronger than any hole you could fix using any method you choose, dowels included.
So this is NOT a strength issue, but a convenience and/or aesthetic issue...dowels being the most aesthetic (when done correctly) and toothpicks being the most convenient (BY FAR!!!). But, since the repair is not visible with either technique, then aesthetics really doesn't play a part.
If you've got a few bucks and couple hours to spare that you have no clue how you are going to spend and nothing better to do, and you don't mind the risk of causing minor or even major damage to your guitar, then by all means go ahead and try the "drill and dowel" technique (I agree that this is the most elegant technique). But if you want to fix the problem right now (well, 1-5 minutes at most) for essentially NO cost and NO risk of damage to your guitar, and end up with the same strength and function, then try toothpicks and glue.
I have been using the toothpick method in home construction, fine furniture building, and guitar repair for 60 years with no problems or failures...no, NOT ONE! That's a pretty good "reliable" reputation in a lot of different applications.
GilmourD
Burritotoneologist
Re: Neck Bowing at Joint?
At this point I'd go with this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-Guitar-N...ey-/271944816429?_trksid=p2385738.m2548.l4275
At this point I'd go with this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-Guitar-N...ey-/271944816429?_trksid=p2385738.m2548.l4275
Re: Neck Bowing at Joint?
Not when you hammer the toothpicks in tight and put the screw in right away. The excess glue is squeezed out of the hole. There is probably LESS glue remaining than using a dowel.
Not when you hammer the toothpicks in tight and put the screw in right away. The excess glue is squeezed out of the hole. There is probably LESS glue remaining than using a dowel.
Re: Neck Bowing at Joint?
8-32 screws?!! These are tiny.
OMG, no way. Tighten the screw too tight (which is sooo easy to do on a neck joint) and easily break off the screw inside the insert, then you'll need a screw extractor kit to remove the broken screw. And you'll still be stuck with the 8-32 insert requiring you to continue to use the same size, easily broken screw.
8-32 screws?!! These are tiny.
OMG, no way. Tighten the screw too tight (which is sooo easy to do on a neck joint) and easily break off the screw inside the insert, then you'll need a screw extractor kit to remove the broken screw. And you'll still be stuck with the 8-32 insert requiring you to continue to use the same size, easily broken screw.
