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Making my first Florentine cutaway - and while routing the binding channel I had a piece of wood chip out.

I went ahead and did the purf and binding hoping that I would be able to fix it down the line. It is time to fix this.



The wood is Claro Walnut.

Should I fill with Walnut dust and CA over the top to wick in - or will that drastically change the color of the Walnut?

Should I mix Walnut dust with Titebond and fill the chip out?

Suggestions I haven't thought of???

I'm too new at this to know what to do.

I DO know that next time I will mitre the point where my tip seam is!

Thanks

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P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

Hey Paul, bummer that!

I think there are two options for you, but first off... Don't use glue and dust for that big of a chip out. I did it on #2 and it just doesn't look right. The coloring doesn't match well.

Option # 1: Use an exacto blade to cut out the offending area in a wedge shape, take some scrap walnut from the side (hopefully you have some) and make a wedge to fit and glue it in place with either CA or titebond.

Option # 2: Bind the point. Now that will take a bit more finesse but it can be done. You would need to score the side from purfling line to purfling line, both sides of the point. Just work at it patiently till you get down about 1/32-3/64". Use a nice sharp chisel to remove the side material, get it as flat as you can. Then just miter the purfling lines and install some more ebony binding and purfling. Fill any gaps in the point with ebony dust.

Personally, if it were me, I'd bind the point.

Nice job on the top miters too This is going to be nice looking guitar.

PS: Note to self! When cutting binding channels on florentine cutaway's, always cut the outside edge first with a climb cut, but control the router well.

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Rod,

The chip out is actually larger than the width of my binding - so binding the tip wouldn't fix the entire problem.

Thanks for the other idea of inserting a wedge piece of wood. I had thought of that but wasn't sure that was the best option - but it may be.

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P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

Paul,

What Rod said. I would add that what you'd be doing is inlaying new wood. Sort through your scraps and you'll likely find a piece with matching grain. With some care, you could make this nearly invisible.

Pat

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Ya, I was wondering if it was to big for the binding to hide entirely.

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"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Yes...the wedgy is the best solution and actually much easier than it sounds. If you have some side scraps, just hold pieces up to the area and look for color and grain similarities. It's still small enough an area that a tight fit and a close match will not show.
Kent Bailey

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Would the best way to avoid this be to leave the last bit on the point and do it with a chisel?

I've got some scraps from the bending and other cut-offs from the build - so I should be able to find something that matches. Good ideas.

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P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I would use both of Rod's options then you will have very little of the chip out repair visible.

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Ken Franklin
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Rod's idea is good. Use liquid hide glue or titebond, it will make it less noticeable.

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
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Yes,you must use a solid wood wedge to fill it. Use anything else and in a few years the repair will be a different color from the other wood as it ages.

Thanks to all of you who suggested that I cut the chip out area into a nice even wedge - and then make a wedge of similar walnut to fit.

I am amazed at how well this worked - from the inside of the cutaway you can hardly tell there was a problem.

On the outside of the cutaway you can see a little - but that is normally out of your normal view.

So - here's what it looks like.

I'm VERY happy with the results.

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Burner Guitars

Nice Job Paul! I am relieved to see how well that worked for you, because I had to do a similar repair to the top of a guitar I am working on. I couldn't believe it when I whacked the top with a steel ruler! Doh!
I bought a small gouge & cut a "U" shaped piece out. Using the same gouge, I cut a repair insert from a sister top. I tried it a couple of times on scrap before committing to the process & it worked really well. Almost invisible repair. The clamp is still on & I'm going to give it a full day for the fish glue to dry. Fingers crossed... I really don't want to take the top off & start again!

Yesssssssss!!!!

Great outcome. Under finish, you'll be hard pressed to find it, unless you know it's there.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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Paul,
if you don't mind me asking, whats that line all running all the way down the cutaway?

Nice job repairing the chipout!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
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Very nice job Paul. I can't see where there is any difference between the parant wood and the repair, AT ALL!

Again, great job on the top mitres, those are not easy and you did a great job on them.

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"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Peter - this is my first florentine cutaway and I did a butt joint at the tip instead of a mitred joint. I will definitely do a mitred joint next time.

So - the line is where the two pieces of wood are joined.

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Oh, I see....

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Paul, even if it's your first florentine I think you will be happier over time if you bind the cutaway ridge and hide the lap joint. What you have will be more pronounced under the finish. It can be done fairly easily by sawing out the ridge and replacing it with a triangle of ebony and some veneer.

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Ken Franklin
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