violguy Posted December 17, 2018 Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 Jeffrey's bondo romance reminded me of the 3/4 plywood bass which had the top attached to its' blocks and ribs with construction adhesive. Those were fun times!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Jennings Posted December 17, 2018 Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 24 minutes ago, violguy said: Jeffrey's bondo romance reminded me of the 3/4 plywood bass which had the top attached to its' blocks and ribs with construction adhesive. Those were fun times!!! I had a vintage Gibson guitar come in a few years ago where a previous owner had tried to "repair" a significant belly bulge by gluing a 1/2" thick by 3"wide by full width of the lower bout chunk of plywood under the area where a bridge plate usually lives....... with Construction Adhesive. New owner was adamant and willing to pay the freight....so new top on that one.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtd Posted December 17, 2018 Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 The joys of violin repair Today I undid a neck with 4 dowels going through the neck and block and some sort of 'elasticy' silicon that someone thought would hold it together. It didn't...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Beard Posted December 17, 2018 Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 Egad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoGo Posted December 17, 2018 Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 I remember years back when I was starting with instrument repairs, our bass player had loose bass bar and wanted me to repair it. I decided I was not equipped enough for such large task so he took it to some local "repairperson". The bass returned with something like 150 finishing nails around back (every inch or so, the back was never removed before) and the back and bar glued with some sort of white glue or epoxy that failed in few weeks so I had to re-do all the mess after this guy. Hundreds of splinters missing from the back inside had to be filled with new wood and most of those nails got pulled through the back. Ugly. Lesson learned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phutatorius Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 6 hours ago, violguy said: Jeffrey's bondo romance reminded me of the 3/4 plywood bass which had the top attached to its' blocks and ribs with construction adhesive. Those were fun times!!! If Strad had had the option of using Liquid Nail for the neck instead of real nails, wouldn't he have used it? (My apologies in advance.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 JB Weld... I’ve had two unopened tubes for ten years. Bondo... nope. Blob-dough. Gorilla Glue... failed on my projects. https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/linear-expansion-coefficients-d_95.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendrik Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 On 12/16/2018 at 8:06 PM, CSchabbon said: That must have been a fast worker if he managed to mix the bondo, slap it on the top, add the linen and clamp it all on the ribs in only 6 minutes! I'm impressed. You can slow down the process by using less hardener / activator and by working in a cooler environment. The last time I applied it in my garage the temperature was about 4 degrees C , say 25 F. Could spread it at my leisure and it was still a bit tacky after 2 days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violadamore Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 45 minutes ago, hendrik said: about 4 degrees C , say 25 F. BLEEP!! Nope, wrong on cursory inspection. Try again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 I forgot epoxy. The old version, cutler’s cement, was made from resin and iron oxide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 18 hours ago, HoGo said: I remember years back when I was starting with instrument repairs, our bass player had loose bass bar and wanted me to repair it. I decided I was not equipped enough for such large task so he took it to some local "repairperson". The bass returned with something like 150 finishing nails around back (every inch or so, the back was never removed before) and the back and bar glued with some sort of white glue or epoxy that failed in few weeks so I had to re-do all the mess after this guy. Hundreds of splinters missing from the back inside had to be filled with new wood and most of those nails got pulled through the back. Ugly. Lesson learned. As horrifying as this is...this is the result of not having enough qualified 'repair persons' in the neighbourhood. Seriously - for most people, what are the options? 1. Stop using the instrument? Hard to do when you need to practice/perform. 2. Buy a new instrument? With exceptions, too expensive. 3. DIY? Probably not. 4. Find someone, who may live far, far away - book an appointment - book a flight? Hmmm...let's see, that would still put you out of commission, take forever, and cost a fortune... The only thing I can think of - which still may not work for most people, is to put the damaged instrument away until a qualified person can be found, and rent (or borrow). BTW... this happened to me yesterday in rehearsal. The whisper key on my bassoon is stuck (again). The first bassoonist suggested I 'fix' it by moving a wire. Against my better judgement, I moved the wire. ACK! Now I can't play at all! Can't get the wire back in place! I had the clarinets and oboes frantically looking for a crochet hook during rests...and the oboe player had one! Got the wire back in place! Whisper key is still stuck, but I managed, albeit a few notes didn't sound. Thankfully I have a bassoon repair person close by, who I need to visit this week. I don't have a spare bassoon. I can't afford a spare bassoon. Unless you're a professional bassoon player, I don't think anyone has a spare bassoon... Note to self: Put a crochet hook in my gig bag... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsodeepblue Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 20 minutes ago, Rue said: As horrifying as this is...this is the result of not having enough qualified 'repair persons' in the neighbourhood. Seriously - for most people, what are the options? I think that sums things up pretty neatly. And I imagine that behind most horror-story repairs is a crest-fallen musician, who thinks their cherished instrument is a gonner and fit only for the bin for the type of issue most maestronet members would take in their stride before their first coffee of the morning. 25 minutes ago, Rue said: I don't have a spare bassoon. I can't afford a spare bassoon. Unless you're a professional bassoon player, I don't think anyone has a spare bassoon... hmm - I thought all bassoons were spare basoons...(just kidding). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 3 minutes ago, notsodeepblue said: ... hmm - I thought all bassoons were spare basoons...(just kidding). ...hunts for wet noodle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violguy Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 I'll bet there are lots of spare violas out there.....somewhere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 Well, I actually do have a spare viola! But not because they're redundant, but because they're so beautiful... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendrik Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 13 hours ago, Violadamore said: BLEEP!! Nope, wrong on cursory inspection. Try again. You're right, was 40 degrees F. I'm not used to the Fahrenheit system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyn Wallin Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 And if you are going to use bondo, use on something like this: Barracuda, numbers matching, 5 years ago on the front of a magazine, my nephew's. Went 125mph with him before it was put back in cotton balls for the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendrik Posted December 19, 2018 Report Share Posted December 19, 2018 An old Mopar? Oh I see now, you already said Barracuda. It's a beauty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendrik Posted December 19, 2018 Report Share Posted December 19, 2018 My son's pride: the '87 Camaro IROQ on the right. Won some prizes. All stock. Sofar no need for bondo, keeps it stored in the winter as well. BTW up north where he lives we have only 2 seasons: summer and winter. And winter is divided in early winter (fall) mid - winter (winter) and late winter (spring). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Perry Posted December 19, 2018 Report Share Posted December 19, 2018 Rue has really hit on an issue. I barely feel qualified for repairs, but compared to the stuff I imagine we have all seen, I'm at the masters level. People have moved into a commodity/dispose mindset. Don't understand the time an instrument takes to make, let alone repair. Unwilling to pay. And are then too-often obnoxious about the whole process. My most cringeworthy discovery was the inside of an interesting 17th C N Italian instrument. Fortunately, bondo hadn't been invented when the butchery was done. A friend and I surrendered and turned it into a kit, soaked out a pound of glue and parchment, and random patches. I hate to think what would have happened with modern materials available!!! I have zero, none, nada instruments to repair at this point, and am hiding.from them for a bit!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violinsRus Posted December 19, 2018 Report Share Posted December 19, 2018 14 hours ago, Stephen Perry said: I have zero, none, nada instruments to repair at this point, and am hiding.from them for a bit!!! Ya want some work? I've got a room full just waiting for someone to take pity on them! Ya can't hide long.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyn Wallin Posted December 19, 2018 Report Share Posted December 19, 2018 Hendrick, My sister drove an '87 IROQ. It was the only one in town with a baby seat in back. The 'cuda has no Bondo. It is pristeen. He also has a Dodge Charger with original paint in Richard Petty Blue. I wonder what Brandmeir and Echard would find in a chip of that spectacular color? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bress Posted December 23, 2018 Report Share Posted December 23, 2018 On 12/18/2018 at 9:40 PM, hendrik said: My son's pride: the '87 Camaro IROQ on the right. Won some prizes. All stock. Sofar no need for bondo, keeps it stored in the winter as well. BTW up north where he lives we have only 2 seasons: summer and winter. And winter is divided in early winter (fall) mid - winter (winter) and late winter (spring). My dream is to buy my wife a fully restored 69 camaro like she once owned. Car seats are behind us, so sports cars keep creeping into the conversation. Sorry for continuing the topic diversion. When I get back in town I will post my first ID thread for a 3/4 violin that was given to me that I don’t think is worth the repair just to be given away to a student. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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