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Hi,

While I was cutting out end graft channel, I slipped my chisel and cause two deep gouge next to the graft. I tried scraping but it's too deep. It's a mahogany body and am wondering what you guys recommend in terms of filling or fixing?

Also what tool do you use to sand the side of the channel? I tried File but it seems bit too aggresive.

thanks, David

A picture of the damage might be helpful here.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Here is the picture. The graft is now in as you can tell.

Would have been easier to fix with a V-inlay before you glued in the graft. Could still try it though.

As far as the sides of the channel I aleays cut mine with a marking knife and chisel, the edges are cleaned with the sharp chisel back to the line made by the marking knife.
Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

That looks like you will not hide it no mater what you do. I have seen guitars with a wide end graft, route it out and make a wider graft. If anyone asks tell them you thought it would look cool that wide.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Which routing bit do I use to route this out?

Thank you, David

I have never tried routing a butt wedge out but any bit thar cuts clean on the end, set the depth to the thickness of the original wedge and work it out. Some builders make a jig to the shape of the wedge and follow it with a bearing bit.
Check some of the posts in this topic

http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=12854&p=179637&hilit=routing+butt+wedge#p179637

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Here is how I did mine.

That is (obviously) the stew mac router guide, and I believe an 1/8" downcutting bit (probably also from stewmac. The guide is just a contraption I rigged up using some rubber bands and clamps. NO! The nails don't go through into the guitar! They were there for a different purpose (from a previous jig).

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Jim Hansen

How about filling it with epoxy? I have similar gouges in my neck from carving out the diamond volute and I plan on filling with clear epoxy to attempt to hide it.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

You could fix that by inlaying matching wood, or use the pieces and glue them back in if you can find them. If not, and you still have the cutoffs from the sides, determine which one came from that side - AND which side of that side, in or out - to be sure you have the runout going the same way and look for an area that matches well to use for inlay material. Make the gouges v-shaped, keeping them as small as you can and shape the inlays to match. Glue in with hot hide glue since it's clear and tends too pull the parts together as it cools. Work slowly and make sure you get a good fit, although the inlay can sit a little proud, to be trimmed down after the glue dries. It might show, but you might be the only one who sees it.

If you keep the gouges small when you make them v-shaped, and it doesn't work out, then you can do the wide graft thing.

I think Frank Ford has a how-to on something similar on frets.com

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Instead of a router, I use a Japanese saw. I clamp a straight board next to my mark as a guide.





Once I have the edges cut, a little chisel work clears the channel.

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

I know this might be too late to answer the OP's question about squaring the sides of the channel, but I do have a solution for this that worked quite well - I have a 6" steel engineer's square, i just stuck some 3M 80 grit self adhesive paper to it and trimmed to the edges, then ran that back and forth on its side against the channel wall. Watch for a tiny little ridge of saw dust piling up along the edge. When there is an equal thin line of dust across the edge, then its square. Repeat on the other side.

i then took a blank that was cut the same as my wedge, put the self-stick on there, and evened up the bottom of the channel.

agree in this case, might be best to start thinking "design element" and either widen the channel, or change the shape.

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"Everyone wants to BE something, but nobody wants to BECOME something" - William Cumpiano