Hinomoto Posted January 12, 2020 Report Posted January 12, 2020 Hi everyone. My niece's student cello has a hairline crack at the D string peg hole (see pics). Any suggestions on how to repair? Thanks!
Nick Allen Posted January 14, 2020 Report Posted January 14, 2020 It really depends on if you have the necessary tools and skill. This job can easily be fudged, leading to much worse results. Personally, I would inspect the crack to see how old it is and if it may need cleaning. Also, see if the crack will go back together with some light finger pressure. If all of that looks good, then it can be glued back with fresh hot hide glue, clamped with a c clamp that can appropriately slip under the scroll. Then you have a choice of doing either an internal patch if the crack is bad enough(requires more time and skill) plus a bushing, or you could do without the inside cheek patch and go for an internal carbon ring reinforcement bushing. Those would be my avenues, but someone else should chime in if my methods are flawed or there is a better option.
matesic Posted January 14, 2020 Report Posted January 14, 2020 I can already hear mutterings (shreiks?) of disapproval, but for a similar crack in a violin pegbox I drilled a 1.5mm hole perpendicular to the crack and inserted a dab of glue and a sliver of wood. After 6 months of regular playing it's still tight. Left a small surface scar of course, which in this case would be on the chamfered edge.
GeorgeH Posted January 14, 2020 Report Posted January 14, 2020 You might be able to have it glued tight as @Nick Allen described, and then replace that peg (or all the pegs) with geared pegs as an alternative to a cheek patch, etc. and a conventional peg. If you decide to go the cheek patch route, since it is a student cello, an external cheek patch would likely be easier and much less expensive than an internal patch in that area.
David Burgess Posted January 14, 2020 Report Posted January 14, 2020 11 hours ago, Nick Allen said: It really depends on if you have the necessary tools and skill. This job can easily be fudged, leading to much worse results. Personally, I would inspect the crack to see how old it is and if it may need cleaning. Also, see if the crack will go back together with some light finger pressure. If all of that looks good, then it can be glued back with fresh hot hide glue, clamped with a c clamp that can appropriately slip under the scroll. Then you have a choice of doing either an internal patch if the crack is bad enough(requires more time and skill) plus a bushing, or you could do without the inside cheek patch and go for an internal carbon ring reinforcement bushing. Those would be my avenues, but someone else should chime in if my methods are flawed or there is a better option. These days, such breaks, once cleaned and glued, are normally reinforced with circular steel or carbon fiber inserts around the peg hole, rather than cheek patches. On this inexpensive student cello, I don't see that this really matters. The scroll is unlikely to launch itself into the violin section, and if it does, It can most likely be recovered, and glued back on So my first suggestion, considering all the hazards and expenses, would be to just continue playing this cello.
martin swan Posted January 14, 2020 Report Posted January 14, 2020 5 hours ago, David Burgess said: So my first suggestion, considering all the hazards and expenses, would be to just continue playing this cello. Rock and Roll!! (like)
Bruce Carlson Posted January 15, 2020 Report Posted January 15, 2020 8 hours ago, martin swan said: Rock and Roll!! (like) It might be worthwhile to at least find the cause of the break which is very often a badly fitting or out of round peg and or peg hole. This situation requires the musician to apply more force than is normally necessary to move the peg in tuning or to get the peg to stay in place once tuned. A properly fitted peg can alleviate this situation. A tailpiece with four tuners will help as well and then the peg is only used for approximate tuning. Another solution is a geared peg that also remove the stress situation from the peg hole.
uncle duke Posted January 15, 2020 Report Posted January 15, 2020 On 1/13/2020 at 10:52 PM, Nick Allen said: Also, see if the crack will go back together with some light finger pressure. If all of that looks good, then it can be glued back with fresh hot hide glue, clamped with a c clamp that can appropriately slip under the scroll. Then you have a choice of doing either an internal patch if the crack is bad enough(requires more time and skill) plus a bushing, That is what the old repair books say to do.
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