I'm building a neck for a friend and I used a low profile truss rod which looks like the one Stew Mac sells, but the nut backed out of the tube, making it adjustable only in one direction, and that doesn't seem to be working. I guess I have to remove it. Do you think it might be possible to drill and thread something to screw onto the truss rod and use it as a slide hammer to pull the truss rod out endwise, or do I have to take the fingerboard off?
I think in the long run, you'd be better off to remove the fingerboard and repair the truss rod.
I would try grabbing on to the end of the truss rod with needle nose pliers and yanking it out, there's not much to lose unless you drop the neck in the process. Then if you can get it out you'll have saved yourself the trouble of removing the fretboard, and if not you'll only have wasted some time. I've had to pull out two or three rods over the years, and on one or two I've had to remove the fretboard since I couldn't.
any suggestions as to the best way to remove a fingerboard - I've never done it. It's glued on with original Tite Bond
I haven't done it a lot, but I use an old household clothes iron and sit it on top of the board. Keep it moving if necessary so as not to burn the surface. Then when the glue softens stick a knife under the fretboard and keep wiggling it along, heating ahead of the knife. I hope someone who does this more than I do will come along and give better advice, this is just what has worked for me.
To remove fingerboards, I use a 1" x 5" 25 watt or a 2" x 5" 50 watt heat blanket, available from MSC Industrial or McMaster-Carr. I use a Harbor Freight router controller as a temperature controller. Spatulas and palette knives make good lifting tools.
Heat slowly and patiently, or the fingerboard will scorch before the glue joint softens up. Sometimes just a few drops of water on the lifting blade helps. Clean any loosened glue off the blade frequently or you will have problems.
I used to use a household iron, but they're too big to do the job well. With the heat blankets, you can put the heat exactly wear you want it and avoid damage to adjoining surfaces.
I have not removed a fret board but have opened a number of Titebond joints. I contacted titebond support and apparently it will release at about 155-160 degrees. I have used a heat gun and kept the heat local. I don't like the idea of using stream, might damage the wood.
What brought this out was asking if using bees wax as a finish would cause joints to 'pop'. Bees wax melts at 148 degrees and titebond higher.
Just hit it with a heat gun on high then slide a putty knife into the joint. Once you have the joint open aim the heat into the joint.
Thanks for the replies! I knew I could rely on the hangout for some good advice!
Well, my idea didn't work so I had to pull the fingerboard. The only damage done was to catch the binding on fire briefly, but I have more binding, so now just waiting on a new truss rod. Thanks for the input!
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