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Topic: Dealing with a warped Lucite fretboard |
Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2021 8:50 am |
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| Many vintage lap steels from Gibson and Valco, among others, sported fretboards fabricated from Lucite, Plexiglas, and similar thermoplastic materials. A recent acquisition has a fretboard with a rather significant uprise between the nut and fifth fret. Has anyone ever made an attempt to straighten a fretboard with a similar malady with any success? If so, how'd ya' do it? |
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Chris Clem
From:
California, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2021 10:52 am
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I have straightened celluloid before. Put it between 2 pcs of 1/4" glass with a brick on top. Pre-heat an oven to about 150 degrees.Then turn the power OFF and heat the material for maybe 1/2 hour, let it cool completely before removing.
The fret-board is likely Lucite which is much safer to work with (no toxic fumes to worry about). You would do it the same way. It won't melt til it gets 320 degree, stay well below that, like 150 degrees.I guess there is always some risk when you do this but that is how it's done. It's really very simple....Chris |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2021 11:40 am
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| Thank you, Chris. Sounds like a plan. I'll give it a try and report back. But first I'll need to obtain a couple of pieces of 1/4" glass. |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 22 Aug 2021 1:20 pm
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You could do the same thing outside on a sunny day on the blacktop driveway.
No smell or use of electric. Happy wife/happy life.....so I've heard??????  
_________________
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 22 Aug 2021 1:58 pm
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| Bill Groner wrote: |
You could do the same thing outside on a sunny day on the blacktop driveway.
No smell or use of electric. Happy wife/happy life.....so I've heard?????? |
Thank you, Bill. The nearest blacktop is a half-mile away, so that's out. And, most unfortunately, this is the third consecutive summer where the sunshine barely penetrates the smoke and haze that rolls in from the western wildfires, and once trapped in this big valley, has no way out. And for almost 20 years now (the best of my life, coincidentally), a whining wife is no longer an issue. So I got that goin' for me -- which is nice. |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 2 Sep 2021 8:45 am
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| Tried the Chris Clem method, beginning at 170 degrees (which is as low as my oven will allow). No go. Upped it to 220 -- still no go. Currently heating the oven to 275 degrees; keeping my fingers crossed... |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 2 Sep 2021 8:51 am
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| Jack Hanson wrote: |
| Bill Groner wrote: |
You could do the same thing outside on a sunny day on the blacktop driveway.
No smell or use of electric. Happy wife/happy life.....so I've heard?????? |
Thank you, Bill. The nearest blacktop is a half-mile away, so that's out. And, most unfortunately, this is the third consecutive summer where the sunshine barely penetrates the smoke and haze that rolls in from the western wildfires, and once trapped in this big valley, has no way out. And for almost 20 years now (the best of my life, coincidentally), a whining wife is no longer an issue. So I got that goin' for me -- which is nice. |
Geeez Jack you got more excuses than Carter has pills! OK.....here is what you do. Is the wood it mounts to flat? If so, just put in some Big Ass wood screws! I'll bet that straightens it right up!
_________________
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 3 Sep 2021 7:19 am
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| Bill Groner wrote: |
| ...just put in some Big Ass wood screws! I'll bet that straightens it right up! |
Most certainly more screws would work, Bill; I've done that to some others. But I'm not crazy about the look of the extra screws, and it's what I'm attempting to avoid.
275 degrees nearly flattened it out. 300 did the trick. I'm happy now. Thanks for the suggestion, Chris! |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 3 Sep 2021 3:24 pm
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Now you know Jack I was yankin your chain!
_________________
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
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