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Just about 10 minutes ago, I tripped and lost hold on the guitar I'm starting to finish. When I picked it up, I felt two cracks. One on the lower bout of the back that is about 6" to 8" long. It's very tiny, hardly noticeable. Same thing on the side, lower bout very close to the tail wedge. It's about 4" long. I can feel them, but the one on the side I can't really see. I can see about 3" of the one on the back.
Reaching thru the sound hole, I cannot feel either crack on the inside of the wood.
I have zpoxy and 3 coats of Emtech 6000 on the body right now, and a good bit of the Emtech was sanded back while leveling.
Any suggestions on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated. I'm sure many can identify with something tragic happening at the end of a build.
My first inclination is to sand to bare wood at the location of the break, and maybe try to put CA glue along the crack. Then sand it back, put zpoxy over it, then proceed with finishing. I've tried to get the two sides of the crack to mate up, but just with hands, it's not happening.
I'm going to cool off for a while and wait for clearer minds to hopefully chime in before I do something that makes it worse.
Thanks for any help,
Bob

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Bob
From the oldest town in Texas.

you may want to stick a flashlight inside the box in the dark and look for leaking light, everythere

Thanks, nyazzip, I did that just now, and there's only one faint light coming on the side close to the tail wedge near the end block. I can see the crack there from the outside, it's where it ends. Nothing on the back at all, and nothing anywhere else.

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Bob
From the oldest town in Texas.

I would think thin CA should do it. Push and prod to align the crack then put a clamp on it. Just keep wicking it in until it won't take anymore. Then sand smooth, fix up the finish if need be and proceed.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Joe, that seems to have done pretty well. I mean really well. I scraped down either side and ran some CA on both spots. I could see where, if I held one side down, and let up, that the glue was going in, so I held down for a good long time, then sprayed some accelerator there. I used a razor blade to scrape off any CA on top, but there wasn't much. Both spots have basically disappeared. It'll take a little time to see if I did a good enough job.
But thank you very much. It's easier to deal with something like that when another person reinforces what you thought about doing. I went in with some confidence, and it's paying off.

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Bob
From the oldest town in Texas.

Yo, Bob,

Magnets.

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Good deal Bob. It is so true what you say. This forum has saved me more than a few times.

One of these days I'll invest in the magnets Padma suggested. They could come in mighty handy

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Thanks, Padma. I'll have to get some as well.

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Bob
From the oldest town in Texas.

Glad you saved it easily this time, what's with you and breaking almost finished guitars anyway Bob?

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC