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Im currently doing my first guitar with braz rw, and have some issues with cracks. Mainly in the rims after they were bent, lots of not so very open, but quite long cracks... some are visible, but i dont think i'll ever find all those little cracks.

So im thinking on how to get these pieces stable, and hope that you guys could either cheer me up or give me better alternatives.

My plan is to finish the rims and the back, and then (right before assemby of the box) use the lmi epoxy without any thickener and "porefill" the outer surfaces. I hope it will run all the way through the cracks and lock them. Then i'll clean up the inside surfaces and assemble the box as regular.

Would that work, or do you have any better suggestions?

ThanksLars Rasmussen38739.7459027778

A tip I picked up in my apprenticeship, which supposedly comes from CF Martin, is to flood the back and sides with CA glue prior to finishing, or to do your pore filling with CA.

BRW often has little check marks which aren't really cracks but they become apparent when you're buffing out the guitar, and the only way I know to avoid them 100% is with the CA method before finishing.

I'd suggest fixing the major cracks as usual (hide glue) and then doing your pore filling with CA to ensure nothing else develops. I've had good luck with this method.

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Thanks jfrench, yes checks might be a better description, sorry for my bad english. Thats is going to take a lot of CA.. Do you use compressed air or something to force it down through the checks? Do you use longtime or fast CA, or are they comparable in hardness? I have always thought that twopart epoxy is the hardest(as in hard to dissolve) glue available. Ive noticed that CA dissolves laquer, wont laquer do the same thing with the CA?

Sorry for my novice question, but I have limited experience with these kind of problems.

The CA should mostly wick into the cracks and you may have to fill with something else over that but it would I think, take care of the crack/checks you are seeing. Even though some CA can cause a reaction on Laquer, I think you should be safe going the other way. After your CA is sanded smooth you should be able to seal everything with schellac and then lacquer without problems.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Thanks folks, Ill try that then, and just porefill with epoxy over the CA.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks!

Lars,

I am admittedly no expert here in the guitar field but I have used epoxy for various woodworking processes for well over 25 years. Epoxy will bond AND gap fill for you. No need to complete an extra step with CA if you plan to use epoxy anyway. Just my most humble opinion though!

Good luck

Shane

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Canada