| Subject: | RE: [RESOGUIT-L] bridge inserts | | Date: | Wednesday, September 28, 2005 17:05:19 (-0700) | | From: | Lynn Oliver <chief06 @.......net>
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| In reply to: | Message 122 (written by Pete Grant) |
And here's Dick's addendum:
Since my $.02 was asked for, I'll provide it. The method Ken described is
very workable. I only do a couple of things differently.
1)The slots are not only tapered narrower at the bottom than at the top,
they are often tapered flared wider at the end(s) than near the screw hole.
(I have heard that in some cases, slots are cut with a jig on a radial arm
saw.) So as you sand and try, sand and try, you may need to keep track of
which end is the outer end.
2) You may want to measure the height of the top of the bridge from the
mirror or other flat surface, so you have a reference point. You mentioned
measuring the height of the insert, too. This can be done at this time, in
case you break the old one getting it out. I have never used a dual wood
bridge, so I don't know whether there is extra height built into the the
maple side or the ebony side, or both. Remove wood from either side you need
to, to achieve the desired amount of each. After you have fitted it into the
slot, you are limited to revoming only the ebony, and may make it narrower
than you desire. 3)I taper mine slightly narrower at the bottom, to fit the
tapered slot, and press them down from above rather than slide them in from
the end. There is often a burr or a sharp edge at the top of the slot; I
bevel this edge with a 3-corner file to help the insert slide in without
shaving its sides.
4)Maple and ebony are two of the world's worst woods for shrinking and
swelling with weather (humidity) changes. Get them as dry as you can before
you work them to shape, or do your fitting indoors in February. Or, you can
run a bead of super glue on each side of the insert. This may be anathema to
many of you. I started doing it after I asked Gene Wooten if and how he
overcame the weather problem; he always used super glue. It hardens harder
than wood, and fills any gaps between the wood and metal, making a perfect
fit. Yes, you will destroy the old inserts when removing them, but what are
you going to use them for? If they were any good, you wouldn't replace them.
Since you asked, I first try to lever the old ones out with a wood chisel or
screw driver blade under the outer end, using the shank of another screw
driver as a fulcrum. If there is wood residue left in the slot, carefully
use a hack saw blade to saw out old wood until you reach bottom. Take care
to keep the blade centered to avoid widening the slot. Shave any remaining
wood and super glue off the sides of the slot with a thin wood chisel, of
one of those retractable razor blade knives they use to remove auto
inspection stickers.
Dick DeNeve
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RE: [RESOGUIT-L] b
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