Only a little project but my progress and results might be useful to others.
As detailed in
this thread a 2005 MIM Strat I bought from GAK took a tumble on route (and/or subjected to cold en route) resulting in two finish crack from the neck pocket and the finish lifting on either side of the crack like so:
and so:
I've had the neck off and it is just the finish that's cracked, these poly finishes when knock seem to peel off easily like one of those fancy plastic coated champagne bottle shrink wraps.
The plan is as follows:
- wick some black super glue under the lifted finish
- drop fill with black superglue
- level with 400 grit
- polish out with increasing grades of micro mesh
- possibly a little buffing compound if needed
Phase 1 was to widen the cracks so I'd have something to back fill with the
black superglue from Tone Tech, I scraped the edges of the cracks with a scalpel until I could get my thumbnail in the crack.
Next job is to wick some of the superglue under the loose bits of finish and stabilise them, our cat's diabetic and I had hoped one of his needles could be repurposed as a glue syringe but unfortunately they're too fine a gauge to pick up the glue so I'm waiting on some 1ml pipettes to be delivered before I can continue.
Comments
Good luck!
However having taken the time the finish it off (and as thankfully nail varnish remover took the glue marks away) it's looking pretty good now, I need some polishing compound to get it as glossy as the original finish but otherwise job done.
Some progress shots:
I wasn't able to get glue under the loose bits of finish without them breaking away, so finish chip glued back down and crack widened with scalpel ready for filling.
Dropped filled using a cocktail stick loaded with the black superglue.
Scraped back with a burred stanley knife blade scraper, technique explained on frets.com
Same thing on the bass side, looking pretty horrific now!
Sanded with 400 grit wet'n'dry
Partway through the various grades of micro mesh pads
And finished bar final buffing
Though not yet as glossy as the original finish it's completely level and smooth to the touch.
And if that doesn't get me there I'll try: