Roasted Maple splitting / chipping prevention

[redking]

Hi guys

I have a new roasted maple strat neck and I want to learn a lesson from my previous experience where one of my neck mounting pilot holes wore out due to over - tightening (totally my fault).  My thought is, why not wick some water thin CA glue into the wood around each of the 4 pilot holes to give the maple some added strength.  Has anyone tried this?  My concern is that it might make the wood more dry and fragile and subject to blowing out.  Any thoughts or experiences with this?

thanks!

 

[rgand]

I put threaded inserts in all mine. Kevin (Cagey here on the forum) shows how to do them here.

 

[redking]

I definitely love the idea of threaded inserts in general, and actually have a bunch of sets of these on hand, but my drill press is not good enough to do this accurately as it has too much "wobble" in it.  Also, I worry that trying to do threaded inserts into roasted maple without incredibly accurate and sharp tools could create a real mess.  Until I can get a much better drill press, I am inclined to stick with the standard neck screws for now.

 

[rgand]

You could have someone do that for you, certainly for less than a new drillpress would cost.

 

[Fat Pete]

The super glue trick is probably helpful for low load applications like pickguard screw holes, but I'm not sure how much benefit there would be for neck screws.

A couple of probably obvious notes that bear repeating:
1. Don't try the super glue thing until a thread has been cut by fully driving in a screw (once).
2. When replacing a wood screw, find the previously cut thread by inserting the screw and turning it counter clockwise while applying gentle pressure - it should click down into the thread. You can then tighten it without mashing the wood.

 

[redking]

You could have someone do that for you, certainly for less than a new drillpress would cost.

That is one option, however I don't really want to be doing that at the moment with Covid and shipping / mail services being slow and a bit of a hassle.  I do plan on getting a better drill press anyway for other projects, including my planned scratch builds.

 

[redking]

The super glue trick is probably helpful for low load applications like pickguard screw holes, but I'm not sure how much benefit there would be for neck screws.

A couple of probably obvious notes that bear repeating:
1. Don't try the super glue thing until a thread has been cut by fully driving in a screw (once).
2. When replacing a wood screw, find the previously cut thread by inserting the screw and turning it counter clockwise while applying gentle pressure - it should click down into the thread. You can then tighten it without mashing the wood.

Good points!  I have the neck in a body right now, but I plan on putting it on a different body eventually - the fewer times I have to move it the better for the wear and tear aspect, and being super careful to try and find the previously cut thread is a great idea I have never considered - thanks!  Thankfully it's a vintage modern construction so I won't have to remove it constantly to adjust the truss rod.

 

[redking]

I put threaded inserts in all mine. Kevin (Cagey here on the forum) shows how to do them here.

Thanks for the link BTW, once I have the proper tools on hand, I will follow Kevin's guidance for sure!

 

[PhilHill]

I don't know what size or other requirements you have for a drill press, but I recently got this one and it's been great.
.
New toy to make things easier.

Wen Model 4214 12'', variable speed 580-3200, 5/8 chuck, 3 1/8 spindle travel, plenty deep enough to do bodies, 9 1/2" square table with side extension. Laser sight and LED work light. Have already checked it and it travels straight through the whole spindle travel. Run out is also excellent. $250. semolians from the Bezos Bazaar. Anything that would be better is too close to, or over 4 digits on the price. Too much for my humble purse. This should do what I need well enough.

 

[redking]

I don't know what size or other requirements you have for a drill press, but I recently got this one and it's been great.
.
New toy to make things easier.

Wen Model 4214 12'', variable speed 580-3200, 5/8 chuck, 3 1/8 spindle travel, plenty deep enough to do bodies, 9 1/2" square table with side extension. Laser sight and LED work light. Have already checked it and it travels straight through the whole spindle travel. Run out is also excellent. $250. semolians from the Bezos Bazaar. Anything that would be better is too close to, or over 4 digits on the price. Too much for my humble purse. This should do what I need well enough.

Looks like similar build quality to the one I have which is a Mastercraft (Canadian Tire Brand) - and perhaps mine just happens to be a bad one.  It wobbles just as you are about to plunge into the piece you are working with.  I have tried to adjust it according to the manual and it just doesn't want to listen to me when I swear at it!  lol 

 

[PhilHill]

Having spent 30+ yrs working in machine shops, I know just what you mean. Nothing can be more frustrating than inaccurate tooling. Like I said though this ones been great so far, no wobble or play in the spindles rotation or travel when you plunge. I'm guessing I got lucky for a change. :headbang:

 

[rgand]

I put threaded inserts in all mine. Kevin (Cagey here on the forum) shows how to do them here.

Thanks for the link BTW, once I have the proper tools on hand, I will follow Kevin's guidance for sure!

It's definitely a good thing to do. You won't go back.

 

[Michaelga]

Epoxy is much stronger than super glue.

 

[redking]

Epoxy is much stronger than super glue.

I'm not wanting to glue one thing to another by considering this.  I am trying to strengthen the actual wood fibres because roasted maple is very brittle and "chippy".  Water thin CA glue will wick its way into the wood fibres and become part of the wood essentially.  Epoxy would just fill the pilot holes and dry super hard and create an entirely different problem.

 

[redking]

Epoxy is much stronger than super glue.

I'm not wanting to glue one thing to another by considering this.  I am trying to strengthen the actual wood fibres because roasted maple is very brittle and "chippy".  Water thin CA glue will wick its way into the wood fibres and become part of the wood essentially.  Epoxy would just fill the pilot holes and dry super hard and create an entirely different problem.

That being said, I believe Jake E. Lee would superglue his neck and body together and tighten up the screws because he kept pulling the neck joint apart on his white 3 bolt strat when he would bend the neck (no whammy bar).  That's not what I'm trying to do though  :headbang4: