How to Heat Press a Guitar Neck
- 1
You probably won't have to remove the neck to replace worn frets.guitar detail 2 image by Scott McCarty from Fotolia.com
Be sure that a heat press is what you need. If you are removing the neck, a heat press is the technique you're looking for -- it's also just one step in removing the neck. If you're replacing frets, you don't have to remove the neck -- or apply a heat press. - 2
Take the strings off and when the job is finished, replace them with new ones.guitar image by Mikhail Olykainen from Fotolia.com
Remove the strings from the guitar. - 3
A layer of aluminum foil may help disperse the heat evenly.tin foil image by Karin Lau from Fotolia.com
Wrap a layer of aluminum foil around the portion of the heating blanket that will lie on the fretboard extension -- the portion of the fretboard that lies on the surface of the guitar. Place the heating blanket directly on the frets and secure it lightly with the lead weights. Use just enough weight to hold the blanket tight to the frets. Plug the heating blanket in and turn it on. - 4
You will need a thermometer that can handle temperatures up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.thermometer image by Friedrich-W. G?¡èrtner from Fotolia.com
Using the heating blanket temperature controller or the surface-mount thermometer, bring the heating blanket up to about 305 degrees Fahrenheit. As best you can, keep the heat localized to the finger board and away from the guitar top. - 5
Don't use a sharp knife -- it can dig into the wood.a sharp utility knife image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
Reach inside the guitar occasionally and feel the temperature under the fretboard. When the wood feels like it's about 120 degrees, set the heating blanket aside on a safe surface. Use the putty knife to gently pry the fretboard loose. If the glue holding the fretboard to the guitar does not give way with a small amount of pressure, put the heating blanket back on the fretboard and let it heat a bit more.
While prying the fretboard free, be very careful not to let the putty knife begin to bite into the surface of the guitar top. - 6
After separating the fretboard from the guitar top, go on to the next part of the job.lutherie : guitare classique image by Fr??d??ric Daniau from Fotolia.com
Place the wooden shim between the fretboard and the guitar top to keep them slightly apart and prevent the glue from resetting. This completes the heat press portion of the job. - 7
You'll need a steady hand to drill holes in the fret groove.drill image by jovica antoski from Fotolia.com
Carefully brace the body of the guitar on a flat surface, and remove the 15th fret. There is a gap of about 1/8th of an inch between the body and the neck at that point. Drill two 1/16th-inch holes in the empty groove and into the gap. - 8
You may be able to cobble together a steam generator from an espresso maker.Coffe maker image by robootb from Fotolia.com
Insert the steam needle into one of the holes -- the second is to allow the steam to escape -- and blow the steam into the hole. As the steam melts the glue, the neck will rise a bit from the face of the guitar. When it has risen roughly 1/8th of an inch, you should be able to lift the neck free.
Source...