Saving the un-savable guitar bodies......?

[gunslinger_burrito]

So about a year ago I started working on a couple junker/project guitars, but gave up due to construction issues... I'm trying again, but not having any success. The problem is that I was huge idiot and gorilla-glued the tune-o-matic thimbles into the bodies because I drilled the holes slightly too large. Now I can't figure out if it's possible to get them out. I just tried using a bolt to pull them out, and only succeeded in starting to separate the guitar body midway

Any ideas, or am I fucked?

The other body mayyyyy yet work, but I have to figure out how to ground it, since I glued the thimbles before inserting the ground wire. I'm going to try a ghetto ground-to-bridge rig, but I have no idea if where I placed the bridge thimbles will allow for good intonation or anything

[gunslinger_burrito]

Damn.
I'm still open to any info, but one of the bodies is definitely fucked now. Unless I feel like carving out a huge chunk of wood where the bridge goes and filling it all full of woodglue and shit.....but I don't think that'll work out.

[Nelson Instruments]

I wouldn't ise Gorilla glue. That polyurethane glue is tough stuff overall but only works well in gluing wood if there are no gaps.
People say it is a gap filling glue and while it is true that the glue expands as it cures and does fill gaps, that makes a very weak bond.
Another thought. If I understood correctly you glued the bridge inserts in because the holes were oversized? Next time fill the hole with a dowel and redrill so you have a tight fit without glue.
Now on to your current problem. What you might need to do is drill small holes all the way around each insert and then get it out that way. Then enlarge the holes, glue in dowels, and try again.
As for your body with a chunk missing, the best fix would be to route it to a reasonably precise shape and then fit a piece of wood to it and glue it in and then try again.
Frustrating as hell but good practice!!

[gunslinger_burrito]

Thanks!

For some reason I hadn't thought of drilling around the thimbles to get them out..... I'll give it another go soon.

[Decibill]

Another option that will accomplish the same as what Nelson said is to get a hole saw that is just bigger than the thimbles. This will saw around the thimble. Then you should be able to wedge out the core and fill with a dowel.

[gunslinger_burrito]

I didn't even know they made those Thanks!

[gunslinger_burrito]

Wellllll, after trying to drill out the thimbles (which did work....) I managed to totally destroy the surrounding area trying to enlarge the holes in order to fit the dowels..... It didn't help that it was on the bridge area of a strat-knock off. I had tried to put a tune-o-matic in there, but placed it just enough off that I couldn't intonate the guitar once it was strung. So when I drilled out the thimbles, it basically tore apart all the thin wood surrounding it.....

I can't decide if this body deserves an artistic end or if it's just going into the trash.

Also I broke a drill bit in half, and one half of it is missing, so I'm probably going to step on it with my bare foot sometime soon. Cool.

[Nelson Instruments]

Sorry it didn't work out for ya.
You can always blow it up!!!

[antennafarm]

why not dedicate that body to testing out questionable practices in the future? be it drilling, routing, finishing.... you can fuck that body up extra without worries and work out the kinks before doing it for real.

[gunslinger_burrito]

Hey! That ^^^^ is a good idea. I am kind of a hoarder anyways. . .

[antennafarm]

so you're saying that, when we find your rotting dead body, that your house is going to be all stacked to the nines screwed up guitar bodies (and kitty litter)?

[gunslinger_burrito]

God I hope not. I just tend to keep crap that I don't use longer than I should

[Decibill]

If you do end up wanting to save the bodies, post some pics and we can help...!!

[gunslinger_burrito]

I might do that once I get the spare time it's pretty brutal though

[antennafarm]

ok, so post it in the doom subforum.

I might do that once I get the spare time it's pretty brutal though