Clear Chipping

[Sharkfin]

This weekend I decided to polish my frets by, tape off the fretboard with painters tape and polishing the frets using 0000 steel wool. The fret polishing looked great. After a setup I noticed that some of the clear coat was missing over the bindings on some parts on the side facing up if you were playing the guitar. Sure enough I checked the tape I took off the board and there were the pieces of clear. My question is, it this only a cosmetic issue or am I looking at major problems down the road?

[metalchurch79]

Purely cosmetic, i wouldn't worry about it to be honest.
And what I'd do just for the feel of it, is to lightly sand the remaining pieces.

Either sand it all off or sand it so there's not a real noticeable transtition between the good part and the chipped part, if that makes sense.

I have a KV Standard that had the same problem and I just took the rest off with 1000 then 2000 grit sandpaper.

[sully]

yeah, if you've taken some clear off, i'd gently feather it a little with some 1500 or so.

sully

[Learn Guitars]

You could also drop fill it with super glue and let it set up then sand smooth and then buff. You may want to try the gap fil version of the glue and hit it with KICKER if you are wanting to speed it up.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

just don't tape off the frets when buffing with #0000 steel wool. it won't hurt the fretboard and will clean the gunk off without having to use a razorblade.

what i would tape off is the pickups so no steel wool fibers get into the coils.

[Sharkfin]

Thanks for the input guys. Warmoth sells a gap filler glue, would this be appropriate for this application?

http://www.warmoth.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=25387

[metalchurch79]

It should work. I see it cures fairly fast, but 25 seconds is adequate enough to apply it and work it around to where it needs to be.
Try using thin layers, cause it's easier to build it up, than it is to sand it down.

[Sharkfin]

Hey guys,I have a few questions regarding this repair. On a few of the chips there are small parts of clear that are not bonded to the binding around where the chips are located. Am I to assume correctly that I should leave them alone and proceed with the repair? Am I also to assume that since Mike Learn recommended that I use Gap filler super glue that the guitar has a poly finsh? This will be my first undertaking into this type of repair. I've done some research regarding what I need to do;

1. Clean the areas to repair with Naptha
2. Drop fill the areas with medium Viscosity Super Glue (using a toothpick to apply a good idea?), let dry about 30 minutes per application
3. Sand the areas using different grits sand paper; I've read a recommendation of, 320, 400, 600 & 800.
4. Then micro-finish with 1000, 1200, 1500 & 2000 Grit.
5. Hand buff with swirl mark remover.

Did I get it all, or did I miss a step?

[Learn Guitars]

You may not have to sand initially. If you sand you may discolor or disturb the finish under the poly clear. Also if you sand, you may force contamination down into the edge where the clear has lifted. You can simply take a blow gun and clean out the area with air carefully. I am assuming that the chip is just around the binding. Then go ahead and fill with gap fil. The rest of your procedure sounds fine.

[Sharkfin]

Thanks for your input Mike, I really appreciate it. I have some more questions, for the chips that have clear that has lifted around it; when I apply the super glue to those areas will the super glue channel itself underneath the lifted clear and binding? Should that be avoided or is it fine because I'll be sanding off the old stuff and replacing it with the newly laid glue? I'll be using the medium glue from Stewmac.

[Learn Guitars]

Depending on the color, the super glue may discolor the urethane base or the laquer base. Jackson uses both for their colors. Try dropping in some thinner super glue the regular stuff. That should help get the two substrates to lock back together. The darker colors will work better with this process. This really isnt going to nessecarily make it back to good as new, but dam close with out having to refinish it. A pic would help if you have a macro lens.

[Sharkfin]

The micro lens would help, that would explain why I can't get a good picture of one of the chips in question. The lack thereof won't allow me to document it with pics as I wanted to. I think I've got a better grasp of what I need to do though. Muchas gracias!

[Sharkfin]

I got all the materials together and began working on it last night. I filled 3 of the 4 chips. I didn't fill in one of the chips because part of the clear that has lifted looks grayish. I want to try and clean that up before I do anything to it. I put one coat on each and let it dry for two hours and put it away. I may do another coat tonight if not tomorrow for sure.

While on the subject of chips, there is a small chip missing on the tip of the headstock. Is the procedure the same but with something different than Super Glue?

[Learn Guitars]

Polyester would work pretty good for a drop in, but you would have to buy a gallon to make the spot repair. Keep building up the layers of glue slowly.

[Sharkfin]

So far the repair is going really good. I'm happy with how it's going for never having done this type of repair. On one of the drop fills, it is almost unnoticeable. They still need some more work though. I'll wait until I finish this project before attempting to repair the headstock chip.