Chinese Cello/Bass Fingerboards

[james condino]

Cody:

Nice work and a good introduction to heat blankets. I'll admit that I was a bit surprised that the whole mess wasn't just applied with a couple ounces of CA glue. I've both worked on those imports and worked in a high end US factory that LOVED using "super glues". Incredibly fast for production; to hell with the customer or later repair folks....

I generally get my heat blankets directly from Watlow- they cost about half what LMI charges (no big surprise, huh...). I STRONGLY reccommend using a timer and rheostat. You can make one yourself for about $20 worth of hardware store parts. I used a sauna timer and a 20 amp dimmer switch. Without that interface, two things can happen- you'll likely have poor heat control and burn up a few things. The second, more important issue is that if you've got that sucker turned up and the phone rings or some other distraction happens and no timer switch, the whole mess will burn up on you and possibly catch fire- learned that one first hand! Another great source for the timer is to use an old Greylab darkroom timer.

If you come by for a visit later in the year, I'll show you all kinds of jigs using the heat blanket, both for repair and new builds.

james

[1st Bass]

I have used a clothes-iron for years with the same result, though not so convenient. You have to keep moving the iron, to heat evenly. I have frequently been informed that it couldn't possibly work, as dry hide glue gets harder with heat, but it keeps working anyway.

Works for smaller isntruments a lot faster, obviously, but the same result-- no splitting or tearing.

I did notice that the FB tends to shrink a little, though--it doesn't fit exactly the same, when you go to put it back.