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| What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=26325 |
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| Author: | unkabob [ Tue Mar 02, 2010 4:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
I built a bouzouki last year, strung mando-cello, and the soundboard cracked on both sides of the bridge. Eight bass strings were too much for a thin spruce (0.085") soundboard. I have opened the soundboard with an iron and pallet-knife but can't get enough heat under the fretboard onto the Spanish heel.The fretboard has to come off and I don"t want to damage it. My question is, what can I heat the titebond on the fretboard with that won't damage it. Any opinions would be appreciated. Bob ![[uncle]](./images/smilies/surrenderflagqv6.gif "Uncle")
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| Author: | TonyKarol [ Tue Mar 02, 2010 5:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
pull the frets, use a clothes iron about half setting ... wait for the heat to penetrate, go slowly with a pallet knife |
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| Author: | unkabob [ Tue Mar 02, 2010 5:31 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
Tony: That is what I was hoping to avoid. A hair dryer gun just doesn't have enough heat. I may have to settle. Bob |
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| Author: | Rod True [ Tue Mar 02, 2010 5:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
Yup, a clothes iron works great. Here's a tutorial I did awhile ago on how to remove a fretboard Or you can use a side bending blanket if you have one. Some folks use a heat lamp too, but you really have to watch those as they can get really hot... |
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| Author: | Brad T [ Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:02 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
Something else that works is a heating blanket for mandolin sides if you have the setup. I've used it to remove bound fingerboards (with care) and it works great. Everyone has an iron though! |
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| Author: | Mike OMelia [ Wed Mar 03, 2010 4:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
You did not use expoxy, did you? 
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| Author: | Mike OMelia [ Wed Mar 03, 2010 5:53 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
Todd Stock wrote: Epoxy will reverse with heat - more of it to get the neck off, but it will release. Good to know - thanks! |
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| Author: | unkabob [ Wed Mar 03, 2010 8:13 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
I have decided to work at the speed of light. I will mask everything around the fretboard with aluminum foil and shine two 150 watt spotlights on it for long enough to soften the glue and use a pallet-knife to start the removal. I will try using a "B" string to see if it works well for the full length. I wound use heat-lamps if I had them. Thanks for all the help. The various ideas and the tutorials have been useful and I will post any good procedures that come out of this project. Bob ![[:Y:]](./images/smilies/smiley20.gif "Thumbs Up")
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| Author: | Mike OMelia [ Fri Mar 05, 2010 11:22 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
How did the heat lamp work? |
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| Author: | unkabob [ Fri Mar 05, 2010 4:00 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
How did the heat-lamp work? crummy. The heat-lamp, using two 150 watt spotlights, could not deliver enough heat to soften the glue. A hot air gun (hair-dryer) came close but not enough heat. A more powerful heater might do it. The thing-a-ma-bob that did the job was a clothes iron on medium over the frets. I will find out later whether the frets have any problem. No scorch marks helps. It looks like Tony was right about the iron. I hope that he wasn't right about the frets. Now to design a bracing system that will give me good sound and be strong enough for eight bass strings. Thanks for the advice. Bob 
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| Author: | Tom West [ Fri Mar 05, 2010 5:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
unkabob: I'm suprised that the heat lamp did not work. I've removed guitar fingerboards that were glued with epoxy quite easily with a single heat lamp. Tom |
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| Author: | unkabob [ Fri Mar 05, 2010 5:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
Tom: The fretboard just wouldn't heat up fromthe lamps at about eighteen inches. I may not have given it enough time to work but it just didn't pick up much heat. Bob |
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| Author: | Mike OMelia [ Fri Mar 05, 2010 6:37 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
I just had an idea (a bit late), but about a side bending heat blanket? |
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| Author: | MRS [ Fri Mar 05, 2010 7:40 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
I have used a household iron and a cake icer spatula. The long metal thin kind. |
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| Author: | Tom West [ Fri Mar 05, 2010 8:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
Bob: Think that 18" is not close enough.If you have to do it again try around 6" to 8" and moniter the heat closely. The dark color of most fingerboards takes in the heat very nicely and after a few minutes you should be able to work a palette knife or other thin tool in to help with the process.Try to get the tool in the full width of the neck then advance the heat and tool the full length of the board.You may want to put some sort of protection,cardboard wrapped in aluminum foil, over areas you don't want to heat such as the guitar soundboard. Good luck. Tom |
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| Author: | unkabob [ Fri Mar 05, 2010 8:18 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
I used two pallet-knives that I bought at Dollarama but the heat from the iron softened the glue in the handle of one and it came off. The cake spatula sounds more stable. Bob |
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| Author: | ChuckH [ Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:37 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
Todd Stock wrote: Epoxy will reverse with heat - more of it to get the neck off, but it will release. I'll second what Todd say. I took a fretboard off with a cloths iron that was adhered with epoxy. Seems like it took maybe twenty minutes or so of moving the iron back and forth and working a pallet knife. |
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| Author: | ChuckH [ Sat Mar 06, 2010 10:38 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
Mike O'Melia wrote: I just had an idea (a bit late), but about a side bending heat blanket? Or a water bed heater. |
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| Author: | Bob Shanklin [ Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:28 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What heat source to remove a fretboard intact? |
I have a heating blanket that is specifically made for finger boards from Tom Durr at Doc's Mandolins. I have one for bridges also, as well as sides. His blanket system is great. Sounds like a shameless plug. Bob |
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