johnsilver Posted June 22, 2004 Report Share Posted June 22, 2004 I am working on a solid body electric - quilted maple top on mahogany base. I edge-glued two pieces of 1 1/4" mahogany to form the base and did the same with the bookmatched 13/16" maple top. After several weeks (I get distracted), I then glued the maple top to the base using the same process I've used numerous times before - clamps and cauls. The top adhered well to the base, but the clamping tension caused a crack on the back side of the mahogany base along the glue line - guess my original glue job there was inadequate. The crack is narrow - less than 1/32" at the max and it extends about half way up the body getting thinner all the time. I need advise on repair options. Can I inject some epoxy or some other adhesive such as gap-filling CA using a syringe and then clamp it? I can fill the crack for cosmetic purposes, but I am worried about structural soundness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren wilson Posted June 22, 2004 Report Share Posted June 22, 2004 I'm guessing that if it cracked when you clamped the top on, one of the surfaces between the top and the back was not perfectly flat. Applying the pressure caused the weakest glue joint to break its bond. If you inject glue and then try to clamp it back together, you risk either separating the top from the back, or cracking your top. I would just fill it with CA glue, smooth it over and put an opaque finish on the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsilver Posted June 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 Darren, thanks for the tip. I am making this guitar for my son, and he doesn't want an opaque finish on the back (could be too bad). How about if I did what you suggest and try to fill with gap filling CA, then rout out a channel for an inlay strip up the center of the back? The top of the guitar is quilted maple that will be stained black, sanded back and then stained cherry red. I planned on finishing the mahogany back with a dark mahogany stain, then clear coat the whole thing. If I inlay a strip, what would you suggest? Maybe an ebony strip or something. The fretboard and headstock are ebony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skibum5545 Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 If you are doing binding, you could do a binding strip. What are you using for the backplates? If you're just using plastic or metal, inlay with ebony. However, if you are using quilted maple to match the top, a thin quilt strip down the back would look really classy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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