Crack at the Floyd Post

[Cory]

I just picked up an old Charvel Model 3 body and noticed that there is a crack that runs from one of the Floyd posts to the pickup ring and the other way into the trem route. Is this something that I should be concerned about? Does anyone have some advise as how to repair this?
Thanks all,
Cory.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y9.../Picture070.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y9.../Picture067.jpg

[Newc]

Hmmm. I'd say shoot some wood glue into the crack and then yank the post insert and all so it seals tight. The insert is keeping the crack open, so if you glue it then pull the insert it should seal tight, then you can re-insert the insert in a couple of weeks (just to be safe)

[rjohnstone]

Hmmm. I'd say shoot some wood glue into the crack and then yank the post insert and all so it seals tight. The insert is keeping the crack open, so if you glue it then pull the insert it should seal tight, then you can re-insert the insert in a couple of weeks (just to be safe)

+1... just fill it with some glue. Titebond II or something similar.

[straycat]

+2

[Cory]

Thanks for the advise guys! I have a couple of dumb questions...Does anyone have any advise for getting the glue in such a thin crack? And, how can I safely remove the insert afterwards? I am new to this whole tech thing. I bought this body for the purpose of learning how to do all this.
Thanks again,
Cory

[Budman68]

While wood glue is great, it doesn't always find it's own way into thin cracks that you're speaking of. What I like to use in these cases is the original very thin liquid Krazy Glue. It "wicks" itself right into cracks and strengthens the wood as well. I highly suggest that the post/bushing be removed before gluing, just in case you ever want to remove it in the future.

[rjohnstone]

You can force the glue into the crack with a syringe (sp?).
Here's the tutorial for removing the post bushing, http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/show...5&postcount=12

[fett]

Wait. I learned this from restoring old wood golf clubs. Just filling the crack won't cut it. You need to stop the crack. The way to do that is to drill holes at each end of the crack. Some of the crack can be drilled but the trick is to stop it. Kinda like this" o--------o. Then fill in the crack and the holes.

[Budman68]

I've seen guys do that on the plastic fenders of their ATVs because it "ends" the cracking, but I've never seen that in wood restoration. I don't see how drilling a hole is going to stop a crack in wood though as it's not "ending" the grain in any way. Please explain the theory as I'd like to understand this more. Ya learn something new everyday!

[fett]

Once a crack starts it will keep cracking. Watch a windshield crack. If you interrupt it's natural course by drilling at a 90 degree angle hole one each end, the crack will stop. On wood, you have to cut the grain and therefore the crack can not continue along the grain. And that applies to cross-grain cracks as well.

[Budman68]

Interesting, so professionals use this method? It's just weird because I've never seen this done in wood.

[fett]

When a vintage wood golf driver sold for $500, and I sold one for that, lots of them had cracks. Particularly around the throat of the head. The accepted way to stop and repair the crack was to drill a hole on both ends. The trem wood takes a lot of stress just like a golf club. To just fill in the crack doesn't really solve the problem. The wood will just keep cracking on either end of the glue.

[fett]

In his case. I would cut out the wood and put in a block. About a half inch on both sides. There is no way that glue will fix that. IMOP.

[Budman68]

Now, that, I have to disagree with, glue will definitely hold that crack as I've repaired numerous cracks just like that without fail. I find the method you described very interesting though but I'm still amazed that I haven't seen that before. Thanks for sharing.

[fett]

Yeah, I can see what you mean. It's only on that space wood. The least I wood ( ) do it Dremel it out a bit to make sure the glue gets deep down there. I'm just an old fart that learned the crack stop trick a long time ago. Hope it helps.