Removing super glue from a guitar?

[rspst14]

:smack: Okay, I'm pretty embarrassed to admit I did this, but while working on my Wolfgang, I accidentally got a drop of super glue on the finish. Let that be a lesson, never work on a guitar at three in the morning when you're tired and not paying close attention to what you're doing. Anyway, this guitar is in excellent shape, but it's not exactly a museum piece, as it has been my main guitar for three years now...so it's not a huge, devastating thing. But I would like to safely remove it without destroying the finish, anyone know how I might be able to go about doing that? Thanks.

Ryan

 

[midnite_man]

Re: Removing super glue from a guitar?

Well, fingernail polish remover will take superglue off but it might take more of the finish off as well. The glue has already ate into your clear-coat, but if you're real careful and take your time you may be able to remove the glue with a small cotton-swab or something like that.
OR, perhaps a little bit of rubbing compound might also work. I might be inclined to use some of that on it first instead of the polish remover. Again, I'd use a very small amount with a swab and gently work it in the damaged spot. You could use a polishing compound afterward to shine it back up.
Before you do anything, let's see if there are a few other ideas that other forum members might have who possibly experienced the same or similar situation as you.
Good luck!

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Removing super glue from a guitar?

Super glue forms a molecular bond to the clear coat, so you don't want to try any superglue remover. You'll just spread the mess outward. Don't put nail polish remover anywhere near your finish! I learned that the hard way.

I would take masking tape and surround the area with it, to keep the surrounding finish from being marred. Then, use a brand new razor blade to carefully slice this glue spot off. Unfortunately, the spot will probably look bad, so you may need to consider having an experienced luthier finely sand the spot, add a thin layer of laquer, and buff it out. If you think you can do a good job, give it a try.

It's a hard lesson to learn, but you've got to be super careful when using tools, soldering irons, and glue around a guitar's top. I'm more careful now, but have done some of the dumbest things when working on my guitars. Everything from using the wrong cleaning product to dripping solder, and even dropping a screwdriver. Those are the dings that piss you off the most, because they're the result of carelessness, not playwear.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Removing super glue from a guitar?

Well back then in the shop we used a razorblade, sanded the spot with wetsander.
Buffed it up very carefully....it is tedious and annoying work, so be very patient about it.
Quit the moment you begining to feel impatient, that is when the more annoying mistakes happends.
It also depends on what kind of superglue it is, the one is brittle and the other fuses very solidly with the other surface.
The brittle one is the easiest to remove, the latter is a pain beyond pain
Hmm where is Zerb when we need him

 

[Bludave]

Re: Removing super glue from a guitar?

You can't save the clear coat under the glue thats for sure. As GJ said tape off the area aroung it and using wet/dry paper sand it off. I would use 2500. Be patient this paper is very fine and cuts very lightly into the finish. Once the glue has been sanded off you can spray a small amount of clear over it, and sand it back using 2500. then buff it on a wheel. Good Luck!!

 

[rspst14]

Re: Removing super glue from a guitar?

I've been using some guitar polish on the spot, and the glue seems to be coming off slowly but surely. I'm going to see if I can get most of it off that way.

Ryan

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Removing super glue from a guitar?

Where on the top did it drip? How big is it? Bludave may have the best solution, if your method doesn't work. Whatever you do, mask off the area around it, so you don't spread the damage.

 

[rspst14]

Re: Removing super glue from a guitar?

It dripped on the top right hand corner of the guitar's top. It's a very small drip, just one or two drops. I've been able to remove some of it with some polish, I'm not sure if I can get all of it off without taking it to a luthier. I'm not sure if I should do that or not...I have no intention of ever selling the guitar, it's not going to be a collector's item, and it's not a big enough blemish to really bother me. Still, I'd like to fix it as best I can. Anyone know of anything else I can use that won't damage the finish? I get the feeling that most things that can remove the glue will also remove the finish.

Ryan

 

[midnite_man]

Re: Removing super glue from a guitar?

I've been using some guitar polish on the spot, and the glue seems to be coming off slowly but surely. I'm going to see if I can get most of it off that way.

Ryan

That's great to hear, and I'm glad you started this thread! I learned much from it already.
Thanks

 

[rspst14]

Re: Removing super glue from a guitar?

If you canm,put the body in the freezer for a bit then tap the glue with a piece of wood.Superglue can get fragile when cold.
But if the polish is working-cool.Just watch your rub pattern or you could grind scratches into the finish.

Hmm, interesting. I was able to remove some of it with the polish, but the glue spot that's left is a thin layer just slightly larger in size than a pencil eraser. Since it's just a thin layer, I'm not sure that's going to work.

Ryan

 

[Mkf411]

Re: Removing super glue from a guitar?

Sometimes it's better to stop messing with it when it's almost where you want it. I'd hate to do that last polish and rub off the finish.

 

[strat_master]

Re: Removing super glue from a guitar?

i say go withr ids idea and razor it off slowly

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Removing super glue from a guitar?

I used fresh single edge razor blades to scrape off the drips I got on a Lowden guitar I was doing a spot fill in. I wrapped each end of a fresh single edge razor blade with a single layer of masking tape. That way, only the middle of the blade's cutting surface could actually cut. I just used it as a scraper until I got the glue scraped off. Then I used McGuires polishing compound and polishing swirl remover to buff the finish back up to a gloss again. Lew