Double Bass Repairing edges / purfling on solid db table and chipped ply violin corner

[PCPlod]

Hello,
I have a mixed solid front and back and ply ribs double bass that suffers a lot from being carted around daily, and that's not going to stop.
I'm looking for ideas on how best to repair / strengthen its edges. As you can see from the photos, these are worn and the wood is cracking along the grain.
What can I do? Apply some glue? Add putty? Any suggestions (particularly with examples of materials to use) gladly received.
There's also a chunk out of one of the violin corners too, so any ideas for that?
Thanks very much

 

[GretschWretch]

I would suggest leather bumpers, but those will only discourage additional damage from happening, not fix that which already has.

 

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

You are addressing this while you can still save that wood. The most difficult aspect of this repair may be finding a suitable way of clamping after working hide glue into the loose grain. A simple locking strap like this:

will do it. Use cellophane over the repair and you may need to carve a piece to equally apply pressure. Give it a day to dry, sand, apply a water based filler, dry, sand.
A simple varnish would be bullseye shellac and TransTint dye. Reddish brown might get you close.
However, most luthiers can easily do the repair for the cost of your tools and supplies.

I’ll second the recommendation of leather bumpers. They can be varnished to match the bass and aren’t visible from a few feet away.

 

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Bumpers

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Repairing worn edges with ratchet straps is silly. The correct technique is to build them up reed by reed. It’s fiddle, frustrating work. Then install bumpers to protect the edges.

 

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Not how I would do it but I have clamps.

 

[Michael Eisenman]

Bumpers (installed 2010 and still going strong):
"Bumpers" for the edge of an instrument.

 

[Greg Clinkingbeard]

Paul Warburton!

 

[PCPlod]

Thank you everybody for your help. It's probably not a DIY situation in this case as I don't really have the skills or the materials. Off to the luthier's, then...