That old warped pickguard problem.......

[PorkyPrimeCut]

OK. I'm now in possession of another nitro-cellulose guard which, again, has some warpage issues.

Has anyone discovered any new methods to flatten them out, apart from.....

1) Sandwiching between glass & leaving in the sun
2) Placing under heavy weight for a while

I was thinking of laying it flat, putting a towel over it & then ironing it??? 

I also saw in a previous thread that a hair-dryer may do the trick.

[zhivago]

I also saw in a previous thread that a hair-dryer may do the trick.

be careful with the hair-dryer...I've heard stories of the guard going up in flames! 

[pullover]

If I used a hair-dyer/ heat-gun/ iron/ any heat at all, I would sandwich it in glass and then heat the glass.

[Marc]

I just fitted an old nitrate guard onto my 65 Tele today.... it was quite badly warped but one on it straightened out just fine bar one place but I just think it adds to the charm!

[fuzzking]

I put my old mint guard between two flat planks and let an old tube monitor sit on it for a week. Almost 100% flat now.
If I remember correctly, Doug put a tort guard between sheets of glass, with a weight on it and left it out in the sun.

[Marc]

Does this gentle heat in the sun method between glass cause any additional shrinking?

[PorkyPrimeCut]

The method Doug used is in a previous thread somewhere. I just can't find it yet. I'm pretty sure its in this section (Mods...etc)

One thing to bear in mind though. Doug uses Florida sun, I've heard its very good!!!

Unfortunately English sun is weak & pretty no-existent at the moment!!


FuzzKing, I tried the heavy weight method before but only for 48 hours. Maybe I should leave it for longer.

[fuzzking]

FuzzKing, I tried the heavy weight method before but only for 48 hours. Maybe I should leave it for longer.

Please note it was a mint green guard, maybe it has a different consistency from the tort ones.

[PorkyPrimeCut]

Please note it was a mint green guard, maybe it has a different consistency from the tort ones.

Mmmmm. I was wondering about the possible differences. Is your mint guard 3-ply? I'm starting to think that the more layers there are, the more likely the thing will warp as different colours are made up of different consistencies (as you say). The tort part may start to shrink before the layer underneath, causing it to curl up slightly.

I think once I've finished hunting for a cavity date I'm just gonna put the thing back on & be done with it.