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A customer dropped off a homemade electric for a new nut. It is a homemade Tele body with a factory Strat neck. At some point in the past a previous repair man put a graphite nut on the guitar and glued in in place with a generous amount of super glue. So I'm wondering what is the best way to remove the old nut. I have limited experience working with graphite and I'm really not sure what the best way is to remove the nut. The nut cannot be tapped out due to the amount of glue that was used to hold it in place. I think it will need to be cut out, but I'm not sure what I should use to cut the graphite. Any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
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House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Howdy Josh,
With a cotton swab, dab on a small amount of acetone all round the nut. Use an exacto knife and cut the glue and finish between the nut and wood. Saw right down the center of the nut length ways all the way down to the bottom. Use a pair of fret pliers to squish the two halves together to break it loose. You should be able to wriggle it loose from there. Be careful not to tap on it too much so you don't break off the small piece of fretboard behind the nut. Clean out the nut slot with micro chisels or whatever you have.

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

You might wanna try heating it with an iron or maybe a soldering iron, then try tapping it toward the headstock with a block of wood the full length of the nut.
The heat should soften the glue.
Be sure to sheild the neck and the headstock fron the heat(cardboard/ tinfoil) or? only heat the nut.

Peter

Hey Chuck, Thanks for the acetone tip. I should have thought of that myself. I used it and the saw technique and was able to remove the nut without any damage to the surrounding wood or finish.

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Acetone could affect the finish. Do an inconspicuous test first if you want to try that. Heating the nut could be helpful. Then take a hacksaw and saw it almost all the way through the middle lengthwise. Then you can collapse it in from both sides with a hammer and screwdriver. Protect the headplate with several layers of tape first before you wack away.

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Ken Franklin
clumsy yet persistent
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