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Author Topic:  Repair Suggestions for mica?
Terry Gann


From:
Overland Park, Kansas
Post  Posted 1 Oct 2018 9:21 am    
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I opened the case to find this chip. No piece found floating around in the case. It must of happened packing up at the previous gig. I know I should pull the pad, cut a new piece and replace the whole thing but... maybe later. What’s a quick interim fix for now?
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Terry Gann


From:
Overland Park, Kansas
Post  Posted 1 Oct 2018 9:22 am    
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.... besides a black sharpie!
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 1 Oct 2018 10:05 am    
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Find a piece of poster board, mica, cardboard, whatever the same thickness as the chip. Shape it to fit the chip out best you can, lightly glue it in place, then cover it with a piece of black vinyl wrap. That will relieve you of the sight of the damage until you can do a proper repair like you allude to...what I'd do.

I'd be happy to send you a small piece of adhesive backed black wrap or you can probably find some at a sign shop, auto detailer etc.
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Jim Sliff


From:
Lawndale California, USA
Post  Posted 1 Oct 2018 3:14 pm    
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That's not formica - at least not if it's a flexible material on top of a foam pad. It looks like fabric-backed upholstery.. The smooth black areas below it re probably formica (or a gloss coating).

Is it actually stiff with a chip broken off? If so it must have been cleaned with material that leached out the agents making it normally flexible. If that' the case I wouldn't even bother trying to make it less visible - it's on the back of the guitar and only you and maybe a few band members will ever see it.

OIOH if it's flexible and torn sit still seems like wasted effort - and even harder to "hide", since it has to be able to move.

I seem to recall one or two forum members making replacement pads that were inexpensive. I'd suggest going that route.

The real mystery is how the piece was torn off if it's flexible. IF it's still, though, it was already damaged.
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Carl Kilmer


From:
East Central, Illinois
Post  Posted 1 Oct 2018 6:25 pm    
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It's not the pad, it's the Formica on the top of the body and under the pad.
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Willie Sims

 

From:
PADUCAH, KY, USA
Post  Posted 2 Oct 2018 1:09 pm    
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IF YOU HEAT THE FORMICA JUST ENOUGH TO LIFT IT,THEN SLIP A SHIM UNDER IT TO,MAKE A PATTERN .MIGHT USE FORMICA FOR PATTERN,GLUE FORMICA PATTERN IN PLACE FILL CRACK WITH BLACK SHOE POLISH AND WAX. BUFF AND POLISH . IF DONE RIGHT IT WILL LOOK GOOD AS NEW.
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Michael Maddex


From:
Northern New Mexico, USA
Post  Posted 2 Oct 2018 3:14 pm     Re: Repair Suggestions for mica?
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Terry Gann wrote:
... What’s a quick interim fix for now?

Black Duct Tape, available at your Favorite Hardware Store, Wal-Mart, etc.

Good Luck! Cool
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Lee Baucum


From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
Post  Posted 2 Oct 2018 3:20 pm    
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Jim - It's a bit of an optical illusion. I, too, thought it was the pad that was ripped.

It is a chip out of the laminate, between the pad and the back edge of the guitar.

Lee
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Len Amaral

 

From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
Post  Posted 2 Oct 2018 4:09 pm    
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There is no patch or fill method that will be an easy fix. You may have to remove the pad, remove the entire piece of mica and replace it with a new piece.
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Phil Brockett

 

From:
Oregon, USA
Post  Posted 2 Oct 2018 4:24 pm    
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I would contact a furniture medic - the people who come out to your house and repair furniture. Someone doing this for several years is bound to have encountered this type of repair. Find someone locally and send them a photo.
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Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 2 Oct 2018 5:37 pm    
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I'd remove the pad and mask off around the broken area with mylar or Scotch tape, and then apply automotive body filler (making it as smooth and level as possible). When it hardened, I'd work it smooth with a razor blade scraper or sharp chisel (NO sanding!). Shave the high areas and fill the lows, repeating as necessary 'til it's smooth. Then, spray paint the area lightly with gloss black paint. The repair is really no different than what most restorers do with old Bakelite items, like radio and TV cabinets, or old clocks. Smile
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Mike Scaggs


From:
Nashville, TN
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2018 4:12 am    
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Terry,

You may not like what my thoughts are, but if you're going to fix this do it right. I would replace the mica and if you cannot find a perfect match strip the body and do the whole guitar. That's just me however. In the end doing it right and avoiding a patch job will shine above all else.

My 2 Cents
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john widgren


From:
Wilton CT
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2018 5:44 am     blah blah
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The right thing to do is replace the mica. If you can't do that move the pad.
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Lee Baucum


From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2018 8:27 am    
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Perhaps attach a polished aluminum strip, the same length as the pad.
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Terry Gann


From:
Overland Park, Kansas
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2018 9:58 am    
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I appreciate everyone's suggestions. All of them, from black duct tape to the black vinyl wrap to the autobody filler, etc. When I make a move I will take a pic and post the result. Thanks.
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TerryGannAOneManBand
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Michael Dulin

 

From:
Indiana, USA
Post  Posted 3 Oct 2018 2:59 pm     mica
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Easy to match...black is black. Jerry just replaced a piece of mica on my Fessy yesterday.MD
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Willie Sims

 

From:
PADUCAH, KY, USA
Post  Posted 4 Oct 2018 7:35 am    
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TEERY IF YOU CAN'T REPAIR YOUR GUITAR WAY I SUGESTED, THAT,S SIMPLE TO DO .YOU NEED TO GET SOMEONE TO DO IT FOR YOU. TAPE AND BODY FILLER WILL LOOK LIKE DO.DO. THE BEST WAY IS TO RELACE THE WHOLE FORMICA STRIP.I WOULD TRY THE EASY WAY FIRST.
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Jerry Overstreet


From:
Louisville Ky
Post  Posted 4 Oct 2018 8:43 am     Re: Repair Suggestions for mica?
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Terry Gann wrote:
I know I should pull the pad, cut a new piece and replace the whole thing but... maybe later. What’s a quick interim fix for now?


Folks, he stated he's planning to replace the mica at some point, he was just looking for a decent temporary patch until such time as he's able to get to it.
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Tony Glassman


From:
The Great Northwest
Post  Posted 4 Oct 2018 9:24 am    
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The polished aluminum strip overlaying the blemish would be an easy and cosmetically pleasing temporary fix.
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Jim Sliff


From:
Lawndale California, USA
Post  Posted 4 Oct 2018 6:35 pm    
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Quote:
It's not the pad, it's the Formica on the top of the body and under the pad.


That's not at all what it looks like in the image - it appears the textured vinyl is torn just above where it tucks under the foam pad.

If there is a horizontal piece of formica glued to the body *under* the pad, why would he need to replace it - since it wouldn't be visible? I've had several SD10's and none had an unnecessary hidden formica strip.

But I have seen several players mistakenly describe the pad cover as "formica" - if I am mistaken I would expect the OP to clarify the point - not someone who's never seen it.
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1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
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Ian Worley


From:
Sacramento, CA
Post  Posted 5 Oct 2018 12:42 am    
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Jim Sliff wrote:
That's not at all what it looks like in the image...

Depends on who's lookin' I guess. It's actually not too tough to remove and replace the laminate piece if you're handy and have the tools, but you could also just remove the pad take the guitar to your local countertop fabricator. They would probably do it for $50-$100.



Last edited by Ian Worley on 5 Oct 2018 4:34 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Tony Glassman


From:
The Great Northwest
Post  Posted 5 Oct 2018 5:47 am    
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It looks like the mica is chipped rather than a tear in the pad vinyl. I think the apparent tooling seen on the formica surface, is just a reflection of the pad material on the glossy laminate.
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John De Maille


From:
On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.
Post  Posted 5 Oct 2018 7:16 am    
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If I didn't want to get into removing and replacing the mica, I would paint the area with a glossy black nail polish and then move the pad back towards the edge.
Otherwise, you're going to have to remove and replace that mica. The tear is uneven and jagged and part of the bottom section of the mica is still there. So, it depends on how far you want to go. Any patch is going to be physically noticeable, especially a mica patch.
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Lee Baucum


From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
Post  Posted 5 Oct 2018 10:11 am    
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Jim Sliff wrote:
That's not formica


True. That could be Wilsonart laminate, and not Formica laminate.
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Willie Sims

 

From:
PADUCAH, KY, USA
Post  Posted 5 Oct 2018 10:54 am    
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after seeing the close up of the formica damage,and Ijust wonted to repair -the missing formica,I WOULD SQUARE OFF BOTH ENDS,STRAIGTEN THE BACK, AND REMOVE THE FORMICA. MAKE A PATTERN ,CUT FORMICA TO FIT .FILL CRACK;S WITH BLACK WAX AND BUFF.

USE A DREAMEL TOOL.
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