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I just took a look over at frets.com to see how Frank Ford removes fingerboards. He uses a small silicone blanket, which I don't have, and don't plan on buying. I was thinking of using a clothing iron and just setting it on top of the frets. My only concern about doing it this way is that, since it's sitting on top of the frets, most of the heat is being transferred by the frets and there will be areas between the frets where much less heat is conducted down to the glue joint. I'm thinking about making up some shims out of aluminum foil to rest between the frets.

I note that Frank Ford wraps his mini silicon blanket in foil for this procedure -- maybe to achieve the same result?

So, what would y'all recommend?

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

I've used an iron with foil underneath to remove a fingerboard before. Just be careful and watch the temp, I got mine a little too hot and bubbled the finish in one area.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Oh yeah, I didn't use any shims, just the foil and household iron.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

I've used silicone blankets for some things and heat cartriges for others, but
for fingerboards and bridges I still prefer a heat lamp. I still feel it gives me
the most control as where to apply and focus heat since there is no direct or
radiant heat transfer. Since the light only causes heat where there is material
to absorb it, aluminum tape and foil offers great control. It lets me run a
1/2" square over pearloid dots, or tape set 1/4" in along the binding and
works quite well. Of course keep in mind that with irons and blankets
aluminum foil can be used to transfer heat, while with a heat lamp it is used
to reflect it.

As far as certain parts absorbing heat more and warming the glue joint
unevenly, I wouldn't worry about it. By the time the heat migrates from the
surface to the glue joint it will have dissipated and evened out.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

David,

I like your heat lamp idea. Where would a person be able to find one that will work well for this application?

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

You should find them at any hardware store or farm supply. I use the
infrared flood-lamp style bulb (I forget the wattage, but there's usually
only one style to choose from), and the ones with the red glass instead of
clear are a little easier on the eyes. I still usually put on shades when
heating though.

Depending on the area that needs to be heated I will place the lamp
anywhere from an inch or two from the surface to just about resting right
on it. For a fingerboard it may help to have two, but I just move it along
the length and heat it in sections. Heating an inch from the surface for 2
1/2 minutes +/- thirty seconds is usually plenty to soften PVA's. If I
expect hide glue was used I will generously moisten the board and
typically have to heat a little longer. Of course this varies widely, and if
you try to start seperating and it doesn't feel right just stop and go back
for another 30 seconds to a minute.

Of course protectors for things like the headstock (or body if it's still
attatched) can be made with cardboard, aluminum foil and metal tape
from the HVAC section of you hardware store.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

i've used clothes irons, heating blankets and a neat little heater i found in a junk shop to loosen fbs. i've not used a heat lamp.

but all of these methods work with the frets in the board, just make sure you take the precautions mentioned above. i use spray glue to put alfoil on cardboard to mask off for protection.

I have used all of the above with the exception of the hat lamp. It makes sense and given the precautions mentioned should work well.

I put one in my oven at 175 F for about 30 minutes. That softened it up enough for me to drive chisel in the glue line and take it off.
It was without frets and unfinished.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

here's a thread I posted on the Jam session forum a month or so ago.......

hope this is helpful.

the guitar is a nearly finished jumbo that the truss rod snapped in before I managed to get the varnish on.

The Iron is a $10 supermarket special set as hot as it'll go. Cardboard to protect the cedar.....



then a steel rule slipped in under the edge of the F/B



and worked along as the glue softened.



til after about half an hour (for once I took my time!!!).......



New rod put in.....



and fingerboard glued back on and clamped

[/QUOTE]

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My soundclick xx luthier blog xx luthier soundclick

Michael, I've had good luck with both the clothes iron and heat lamp methods. I would also add that using a little kitchen timer with an alarm feature is a good idea. The digital ones are pretty cheap.

Martin,

Thanks for the procedural. If a picture = 1K words, you just gave us 6,ooo helpful ones!