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In need of info on how to repair fretboard chips!

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 4:49 pm
by Ryan Matzen
I was removing the head on my OME banjo for the first time. It was really stuck on the rim. I was working around the rim pulling up a little bit at a time. When it finally let go, It took two chunks of ebony out of the scoop area of the fingerboard. I am looking for input on the best way to repair this. I am kinda ticked at myself for letting this happen! I had called Tanya at OME and asked if I should remove the neck to change heads because it looked like such a tight fit and she told me no, but now I am wishing I had!

I was going to glue the bigger chip back in with some of Stew Mac's black superglue and and then layer some more of the same black superglue on the smaller chip and then profile them with a scraper.

Does this sound like it might work? Does anyone have any better ideas? Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for the help,

-Ryan

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Re: In need of info on how to repair fretboard chips!

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 9:36 am
by Aaron Helt
No need to worry. Ebony repairs like this can be nearly invisible. Super glue it back on and then fill the crack with similar colored ebony dust mixed with glue.

Re: In need of info on how to repair fretboard chips!

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 12:19 pm
by Barry Daniels
A tight fitting chip like that needs neither black superglue nor ebony dust tinted glue. Use any type of glue to adhere the chip, lightly sand with fine sandpaper and call her done.

Re: In need of info on how to repair fretboard chips!

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 1:28 pm
by Ryan Matzen
Thanks fir the help. Do you think that layering the black super glue on the small divot to build it up and then scrape down with a razor blade is a good idea?

Re: In need of info on how to repair fretboard chips!

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 2:25 pm
by Barry Daniels
No, black superglue does not dry hard.

Re: In need of info on how to repair fretboard chips!

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 6:05 pm
by Ryan Matzen
What should I use to layer up the small divot? I just picked up some thin Zap CA. Could I mix the Zap with ebony dust and use that? Because it is thin would I have to make a glue dam out of something (like masking tape?)?

Thanks!

Re: In need of info on how to repair fretboard chips!

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 8:09 pm
by Ryan Matzen
Well, I just made a glue dam with some masking tape, poured some ebony dust in the divot and then added some of the CS glue. Hopefully it will work out for me!

Re: In need of info on how to repair fretboard chips!

Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 9:46 pm
by Ryan Matzen
Thanks for the help!
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Re: In need of info on how to repair fretboard chips!

Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 6:51 am
by Alexander Higgins
Nice Save! I'll call that invisible.

Re: In need of info on how to repair fretboard chips!

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2014 10:13 am
by Aaron Helt
Good job!

Re: In need of info on how to repair fretboard chips!

Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2014 3:03 pm
by Ryan Matzen
Thanks! It turned out better than I expected!