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August 15, 2005
Super Glue on Shakuhachi Joint
Here is a refurbishing of the a nakatsuki I've been working on this week. Shakuhachi joints get loose often and the only way to tighten them is in the traditional manner, with urushi lacquer.
Someone had tried to tighten this joint with super glue and what appears to be enamel paint.
The super glue and paint was cracked and crumbly making the joint difficult to seal. This can actually cause damage to the joint.
The first step is to sand it off carefully by hand.
The ends have to be clean or the two ends won't meet flush. Also, urushi will reveal the uneven texture.
The first coat. It will take several more.
My wet box. Urushi needs 80% humidity to cure.
It better to use plumbers tape to seal the joint than to use glue or other kinds of paint. Bamboo swells and shrinks to the humidity levels, that's why the joint may be loose and then tight again when the seaosns change. Plumbers tape will do the trick when it loose, just peel it if when it's tight again.
Namaste, Perry
Posted by Perry Yung at August 15, 2005 09:28 PM