Cello Repair
These are two views of an extensive 'cello repair. Because all of the glue joints were failing, the back and top both had to come off and be re-glued. The first photo shows the difficulties of dealing with an instrument 'carcass' without a mold. The sides had to be clamped to a flat board, to provide stability, while the remaining clamps were used to maintain the proper shape of the instrument. A complex jig was created to re glue the neck block, prior to reattaching the top and back.
The top is visible just beyond the clamped sides, with the back behind that (on top of the 'random orbital sander' base).
The second photo shows the numerous cleats that were necessary to repair cracks, as well as patches to the areas that connect to the neck and end blocks. The light areas around the very edge are also areas where wood had to be replaced.
The repair was a success, and the instrument fully restored to playable condition. The entire process took several days of work.
