The tip of the trussrod cover was broken on this guitar, as the "arrow head" covers on most Harmony Bobkats / Silhouettes were; It only took a small amount of over-tightening in a screw tightening session ....or plastic contraction with age, to make the tip crack and snap off. No problem, remove a good one from a donor while the one from this guitar was being repaird to replace upon the donor. NOT !..... All the donors covers were cracked and snapped too !
Nothing to do but to repair the one for this guitar, and the only identical one from a donor at the same time.
Break out the super glue, white epoxy and proper tools.
PROCESS:
The cracks are 'V' beveled to accept glue and filler better. The cracked pieces are then tacked into place with super glue and accelerator. When the epoxy sets to just the right working consistancy, a thick bedding of white epoxy is applied to the back of the tip-half of the trussrod cover and sat on a sheet of wax paper (mold release) taped to the back of a masonite clipboard to ensure a flat working surface, ...and light pressure applied to the covers so the epoxy will work itself evenly onto the bottom of the covers. Extra epoxy is allowed to drain off of the applicator stick (half of a spring clothespin) in a string which is applied like a 'dairy queen' curl to the tip holes and the the areas where chipped pieces were missing, ....ensuring enough epoxy is applied to lay settle down and leave a crown to sand down rather than a convex cup that would have to be refilled.
Below is one piece sitting on it's epoxy bedding and it's missing pieces filled, ....while the other piece is shown with it's tip super-glued on waiting for it's epoxy bedding and tip-hole fill of white epoxy. |