Easiest method of removing black cap off headstock

[srommes]

I'm venturing into a project which includes removing the black Jackson cap off of a headstock. I want to go with a natural headstock look. Can anyone offer suggestions as to how to go about removing the cap? Thanks!

[srommes]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

Anyone.....Bueller....

[sully]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

i'd try razor blades and scrapers and the like. a power sander would do it, too, i'd guess.

are you gonna veneer it? you may want to consider that b/c i'm assuming that cap is epoxied on and you're going to take off a bit of wood before you'll have something nice looking.

[Budman68]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

<font color="aqua">Possibly you could use and iron to heat up the area and get under it with a razor blade and "peel" it off like you would a fretboard? I'm not sure what kind of glue they used for that application but it's worth a try. Or you could just veneer over it and it would give you a nice black outline. </font>

[rjohnstone]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

I have done this before.
You need to heat it up just enought to break the glue.
Fortunately Jackson used a pretty mild adhesive on these.

Here is the method I uses... I've done this 4 times already with great results everytime.

First, use a heat gun with a releatively low heat setting... most good hair dryers will actualy get hot enough to do this.
Start at the tip moving back and forth until you see the edge start to lift. (Pick at it with your fingernail a few times to get it started)
Then take a thin blade putty knife and insert it under the tip.
DO NOT USE A RAZOR BLADE. This can actualy do more damage than good.
Begign rocking the putty knife from side to side while gently lifting the cap upward.
Slowly work your way towards the fret board.
If you don't have a good vice, get a friend to hold the neck while you switch between heat to putty knife work.

When you reach the nut, you will have two choices here.
If it has a regular non-trem nut, it will lift right off.
If it's setup for a Flord, the fret board actuly sits on top of the vaneer.
Take a fine blade saw and very carefully score then cut the cap. A small piece of the cap will remain under the fret board.
What you will have left is a headstock with some black felt looking glue that can be easiliy sanded off with some 150 grit sandpaper.
If you want to put a vaneer on, the cap is 1/16" thick.
Here is a link to some pics I've taken after removing a cap.
http://www.users.qwest.net/~rjohnstone/guitar/index.htm

[Budman68]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

[ QUOTE ]
DO NOT USE A RAZOR BLADE.

[/ QUOTE ]

<font color="aqua">Interesting, works with a fretboard like butter, but you're the expert- [img]/images/graemlins/toast.gif[/img] </font>

[GodOfRhythm]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

Very nice and clean job there, johnstone!

[rjohnstone]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

The first time I did it I used a razor and it kept going into the wood on the headstock leaving nasty marks in it.
The glue used is unpredictable as to when it would give and when it just stopped you cold.
Using a putty knife seemed to give me better control of the removal process.
Someone with really steady hands may be able to use a razor just fine.
The putty knife just worked best for me. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[rjohnstone]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

[ QUOTE ]
Very nice and clean job there, johnstone!

[/ QUOTE ]
Thx... that was pics from my first attempt.
The others turned out even nicer... sorry no pics of them. They're completed already and back with their owners.

[sully]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

heyyy, nice one!

[Thoraby]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

Maybe I should do that to my Jackson... hmmm....

[rjohnstone]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

Here is what happened when I used a razor.

As you can see from the pic, the fret board on the right side became seperated because the glue gave and the blade cut straight into it. Easy enough to fix, but the left side was done with the putty knife and it stopped once the direction of the wood changed.
The little bit of black stuff that you see by the fret board is what the entire face is covered with when the cap comes off. It sands off very cleanly with some 150 grit and some patients.
I hit the truss rod nut with a grinder to flaten it's profile. I'm going to veneer the entire face. The neck is perfect and it doesn't need any adjustments.
I know it may need adjusting in the future, but I'll deal with it at that time. This one is getting a ghosted Jackson logo stained into it in the near future. I'll post pics for the process if it turns out the way I want it too.

[DonP]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

rjohnstone,

Have you replace a MOP Made In U.S.A. headstock veneer before?

[srommes]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

rjohnestone,
Thanks for the detailed explanation. I'll give it a shot and see how it turns out.

[mm2002]

Re: Easiest method of removing black cap off heads

I totally agree with rjohnstone. When dealing with wood, a razor blade is (more often than not) "too sharp". I even sometimes "dull" my putty knife by sanding the edge lightly to keep it from digging into the wood. After all, you're really only wanting to separate the glue joint between the two pieces, not cut it. This holds true for removing fretboards too.