Go to Next Page; Finish Repair and Packing for Shipment > > > |
Some photos of and notes about supplies and tools for repairing cases. |
ce. 1960 Rickenbacker 105 Work progress for S. Ochoa Additional Hardshell Case Repairs |
Some photos of and notes about supplies and tools for repairing cases. |
Go to Next Page; Finish Repair and Packing for Shipment > > > |
While inspecting this case closely I found a separation in the wood where the case had been dropped sometime in it's past, as is common with old cases. A separation in the case's coverings attracted my eye to the separation in the internal wood panel. Since cracks and separations are covered up by a case's coverings, the tale-tell sign of a separation or crack is misalignment or small angle "bump" of the lid-to-bottom sealing lip (see arrow below). In the picture here the covering is pulled back and taped to hold it open, then the separation is stressed by hand, as shown below, to open it up to receive glue. A separation or crack will be jagged; Don't stress it enough to break that jagged matrix, because the jagged matrix will give allot strenght to the glued separation or crack. |
Water base carpenter's glue is thinned so it will flow deeply into the separation and seal / prime the wood. The back of the covering is also primed with the thinned glue. Then less thinning is used in several subsequent glue applications until the separation is filled and allowed to set up but not dry. The back of the covering also gets a coat of thinned glue. The covering is then laid into place for blocking / clamping. Blocks of wood wrapped in wax paper are clamped to force the wood panel flat and close the separation. Additional wax paper is used between the blocks and the case to ensure that the blocks don't want to stick to the case and to ensure that the blocks release if any glue happens to work it's way out. |
I use the back of a tuna fish can as a pallet for the glue. It's just the right size and the ridges on it's back allow wiping the brush on them to unload the brush to get just the right amount of glue for each application. A small can of water is right next to the tuna can pallet. The tuna can under the other end of the brush is crushed on two sides with a screwdriver to make a nice cradle to lay the brush handle across when the brush is loaded and not immediately needed. Keep the glue on it's own dedicated table so any spills won't mess anything else up. The work bench is also full of many tools and supplies for the job, and links to pictures of the bench and supplies are provided at the bottom of this page. |
I simply couldn't stand the makeshift wire and tape handle on this case. So I cut off a molded plastic handle from an unserviceable case, using a small cut-off wheel on a dremel to cut a small slot across the handles mounting bosses to "snap" the handle off of it's mounting brackets and "snap" it onto this case's mounting brackets. Before snapping it on I wrapped the mounting "axles" with wax paper, then snapped the handle on over the wax paper which will guard and release from the epoxy used to seal the slots in the handle bosses. I then used finely folded wax paper to wrap dams around the handle mounting pins and pressed them up against the handle bosses to seal the bosses ends so that epoxy could fill the slots and not run past the dams. I then filled the slots with epoxy; And when the epoxy set I painted the epoxy black to dress out the slot. If / when a correct handle is installed, this handle can be cut off in the same manner by cutting a slot across the handles mounting bosses on the opposite side of the slots I cut and filled (the plastic handle will cut allot easier than the epoxy filling my slots. The was paper bib is taped to the case to catch any epoxy that might be accidently dropped from an applicator. I used a float toothpick as a spoon and teasing applicator to work the epoxy down into the slot. The epoxy is blocked in the bottom of the slot by the wax paper first wrapped around the mounting bracet's mounting pins. |
^ |
Here's what it looks like completed. Much better than it's previous black tape over trash bag padding over bailing wire ! |
