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Glueing Acrylic

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 4:20 pm
by arcadedave
Finally got my hands on the Mockingbird after a hilarious misunderstanding regarding names. Anyhoo, the headstock has snapped off completley. I was aware of the crack when I bought it, so I knew this was a risk.
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It was quite hard to photograph, the lighting, acrylicness and my shakey shakey hands didnt help.

So how am I to fix this? Im thinking lotsa cement atm. Any other methods to rememdy this?

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 5:03 pm
by robert(original)
try just epoxy, but i warn you, since it a clean break like that, and its plastic. you may have it snap again. in which case you will have to put a dowell rod in it like this.
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Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 5:13 pm
by cur
There is some special acrylic glue they use for making fish tanks. A friend of mine got some from a place that sold plexiglass and acrylic. I think it has a lot of MEK in it. Also might try PVC/CPVC cement. Maybe the same stuff. You don't have a lot of time to work with this stuff.

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 5:43 pm
by Fran
I think i'd be tempted to steel dowel it, may look less of a repair than wood and blend with the machine heads somehow? Definitely clear resin though. Looks like a night googling for Dave, good luck though, i love that guitar and hope you get it back to its former glory.

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 5:47 pm
by Shaguar
Acetone is what is often used to bond acrylic. But there are specially made acrylic solvents that are more than likely acetone with a few other additives.

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 5:56 pm
by cur
Fish tank lank.

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 6:15 pm
by Joey
Stewmac sells carbon rods (dowels), to help stiffen necks, usually installed next to the truss in a separate channel

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 6:21 pm
by Fran
Thats the kind of thing i was thinking of, dunno what is available in the UK.. i was thinking of re-bar that you get from the builders merchants :lol:

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 7:42 pm
by robert(original)
those rods are insane!
my buddy made a 25.9 scale 12 string and used one rod one either side of the truss rod and the neck was too straight.
he had to take the board off, and use 1 ride cut in half.

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 8:42 pm
by Joey
did he have a 2 way truss rod by chance, rob?

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 3:31 pm
by ekwatts
Polystyrene cement is usually the best for acrylics, I think. Don't go mad with it, just coat both surfaces lightly and then maneuver the headstock back into place. After about 24 hours, it should be quite firm, but then I'd recommend a dowel rod or something too for extra strength and security.

Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 10:41 am
by NickS
Check out >>this page<<.
.

Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 10:02 pm
by robert(original)
it was indeed a 2 way rod. but the otherside of a 2 way should really only be used to correct a problem rather than fix it, you know what i mean?

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 4:18 pm
by arcadedave
Fixed!

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This was hard work. The nature of the break meant there was very little space to work with. We drilled holes for the dowel on either side of the rod, but without a jig and lazor guidance systems it was sorta rough. We had to cut the dowels down a little and bend the bass side one. We smothered the dowels in Araldite and then wash every thing in this plastics cement I got from a model shop, claiming to glue loadsa shit together, including acrylic. Left it for 48 hours, strang it up tenderly with 10s tuned to C. Rockin! My dad still isnt confident in it, but it seems fairly stable to me. O WELLS.

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 4:25 pm
by stewart
araldite can dry a bit brittle at times, i've found. hopefully combining it with the other stuff'll hold it.

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 4:52 pm
by Fran
Nice one, so pleased. This is easily one of the coolest guitars on the forum 8)

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 5:03 pm
by Noirie.
Fran wrote:Nice one, so pleased. This is easily one of the coolest guitars on the forum 8)
Still got yer Bc Rich bich(?) Fran?

Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2010 5:08 pm
by Fran
No. I had a big clearout, did'nt keep much other than Fenders tbh.