End block grain direction

Timbuck

Timbuck

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I'm not quite sure what went wrong with this one but I suspect it's because the grain direction of the neck block being vertical instead of the normal horizontal...it was returned and I refunded..it has had some dehydration problems as well because the fret ends are protuding.
The two cracks start at the neck block edges and end at the top brace.
strange that the back hasnt cracked the same(maybe thats down to the back being domed.) any input is wecome...I will most likely scrap this one and save the neck. (click on image to enlarge)
crack2.jpg crack 1.jpg
 
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Those look like shrinkage cracks, caused by dehydration. The fact that the fret ends are protruding supports this view. Most of my neck blocks have used vertical grain, but some were horizontal. Not had any problems with either.

I would be interested in buying that uke, as is, if you have not already broken it up.

It's good to hear from you, Ken. I was a bit concerned when you posted about having pneumonia. I hope you are fully recovered.

John Colter.
 
ukantor said:
Those look like shrinkage cracks, caused by dehydration. The fact that the fret ends are protruding supports this view. Most of my neck blocks have used vertical grain, but some were horizontal. Not had any problems with either.

I would be interested in buying that uke, as is, if you have not already broken it up.

It's good to hear from you, Ken. I was a bit concerned when you posted about having pneumonia. I hope you are fully recovered.

John Colter.
Click to expand...
Yes! John were both on the mend, but it will be some time before we are back up to full steam...I'll send this off to you so you can do your magic on it ... Do you still have the same address ? 2 the Flats Main street.
 
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Cheers, Ken! Yep, I'm still in the same place. I'll send a pm with the full address, post code etc.

I look forward to fettling the little beauty, and I'll let you know how I get on with it.

John Colter.

ps, what's your favourite whisky?
 
Ken's favourite is Macallan 50 yr old...

Ken, let me know when it arrives and I'll pop round for a dram :drool:
 
The protruding fret ends would make it appear its the customers fault for not humidifying. You were nice to refund!
 
Beau Hannam Ukuleles said:
The protruding fret ends would make it appear its the customers fault for not humidifying. You were nice to refund!
Click to expand...
I always do that Beau..I can't put up with complaints and arguments I had enough of that sort of stuff when I was an inspector and QA guy in the construction and engineering business....and I don't do it for a living, just a hobby.
 
Timbuck said:
I always do that Beau..I can't put up with complaints and arguments I had enough of that sort of stuff when I was an inspector and QA guy in the construction and engineering business....and I don't do it for a living, just a hobby.
Click to expand...

I understand, but customers have to accept responsibility for their actions (or lack of action by not humidifying their instrument).
If you don't put oil in your car, the car dies. That is the drivers fault, not the maker of the car.
 
The uke arrived today, and I must congratulate Ken on the standard of his packing. Good stout box, lots of bubble pack and parcel tape.

First impressions:- a very handsome and beautifully made instrument - of course! Perfectly set up (for me) and sounds great.

The cracks are very obvious, but don't look quite a wide as they do in the photos above. I'm assuming the uke has been overseas, somewhere very dry, and it must have been back in Great Britain for at least a week. It will be re-hydrating naturally in our moist temperate climate.

The fret ends are protruding noticeably.

I asked Oscar, the cat, if he would like to tackle the job. He said, "Me? - How?"

So, the plan is to remove the strings then make a small tray out of aluminium foil. The tray will go inside the uke, with wet cotton wool (cotton batten) in it - to be left in a case for a few days. I hope the cracks will reduce a little more, I but don't expect them to close up completely.

These photos show the cracks as they look today:-

Timms crack 1a.jpgTimms crack 2a.jpg

John Colter
 
Well - I didn't expect to be posting again so soon, but I'm amazed! The uke has been in the case with my home made humidifier for only about five hours. I couldn't stop myself checking on it, just to make sure everything was OK.

The cracks have almost completely closed up!

I'll leave it overnight and see what it's like tomorrow. Phase two of the operation will be dealing with the cracks. At this rate it will be just a matter of wicking some glue into the cracks and then installing a couple of thin cleats on the inner surfaces - which are very easily accessible through the sound hole.

I guess that proves the theory that the damage was entirely due to dehydration, and could have been avoided by proper care.

John Colter
 
Hmmmm-------I didn't think of that, Ken. I'll wait to see if the cracks will need any further drawing together before I make a final decision.

John Colter.
 
As I live in temperate, humid England, I have no previous experience of a dried out musical instrument. I've never had a need for a humidifier or a hygrometer. There is another current thread warning against excessive use of humidifiers inside the body of the uke, so after 24hours I moved my home made humidifier out of the body and placed it at the end of the case, under the head stock.

We are now at day two of the humidifying program, and the cracks have virtually closed up. The protruding fret ends now feel much less pointy.

So I've decided to continue with the humidifying process for two more days. After that, I plan to install two full length patches on the inside of the cracks, using mahogany veneer. The hope is that enough glue will wick into the cracks, from the patches, and that it will not be necessary to do anything to the front. Perhaps a gentle application of metal polish, and a light waxing, but I don't want to affect the finish adversely.

Here's how it look today:- Timms, cracks after two days hydration.jpg

John Colter
 
The uke has spent four days in the intensive care ward. Hydration is now completed, and the cracks have closed up as much as seems likely - ie. not completely, but almost so. To be honest, I don't think there was much further improvement after two days, but I wanted to be sure before gluing in the internal patches.

I know Ken referred to the Scott Antes plans when he laid out the shapes and dimensions of his prototype uke, so I used the plans to cut the two patches. They needed only very minor adjustments to fit perfectly. Photo below.

It still took several hours of careful, intense work to make and install them. I had intended to use mahogany veneer for the patches. It is not much thicker than stiff paper, and when white glue is applied, it warps alarmingly and becomes impossible to manipulate, unsighted, inside a soprano uke. 1/16" mahogany was much more manageable, so that is what I used.

I could see from the outside that some glue had entered into the cracks, just from the act of pressing the patches in place.

The cracks are still visible, if you look for them, but they are not too obvious. It can stay as it is for now. The faint scars are part of its life story.

The strings are not going back on yet. The uke will lie in an open case for about a week to become acclimatised to the local conditions of temperature and humidity.Internal crack cover, on Scott Antes plan.jpg

John Colter
 
Interesting rescue project... Just some thoughts: Did you orient the grain on the patches perpendicular to the grain of the top? Otherwise it might want to split again along the grain line in the patches when the top comes under stress as it dries out. Also, how goes the protruding fret ends? You could carefully knock them back with a fret end file if needed, but you already know all that. I would be interested in updates as the patient recuperates over time. We are all praying for a speedy and uneventful recovery.
 
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