The Steel Guitar Forum

has this ever happened to anyone? and if so is there an easy way to fix it. it goes back in but comes right out if i turn it upside down. thinking superglue?

Looks like the leg may have flared out a little, or split.
Super-glue would hold, but it is questionable for how long. "JB-Weld" would be more permanent. A hose clamp might work, but would not look that good.

Just ideas.......................Pat

I had that happen on my D-10 Carter. I popped it back in place and put it in my big vise, in the garage, Wrapped a rag around the chrome leg and cranked the vise as hard as I could to press the leg pipe out of round a little around the thread slug. It works great with little damage to speak of. I suppose you could do the same with a couple of wacks with a hammer but you have no control on how much damage you will do.
Later, Simon

As long as the tube of the leg is not split the best thing to do is to use a shim in it...Get a cheap feeler gauge set and make a shim that fits around the inside of the leg...maybe try a 0.05 first...Leave a small amount of shim sticking out the top of the leg...then beat the leg thread back in again...It should be good to go.

You could also get a chisel and scarify the plug before you bang it back in

There is stick glue used to put tip tops on fishing rods. You warm up the metal, Heat the stick rub it on and assemble. If that is a front leg check and align it if needed for the pedal bar. Good Luck in getting the problem cured.

I had good luck with JB Weld one time, when the lug was all thw way out the way yours is. Not so much luck the next time, when it was only loose. Theoretically, JB weld should do the job.

I've used Lane's method of scarifying the the plug, then applying JB Weld and reassembling. I used an X pattern all around the inserted part of the plug, then applied JB Weld to about an inch of the end before inserting. If the plug is stubborn and will not come out easily, use a wooden dole from the other end to knock it out, usually works. Be sure to clean the inside of the tube and plug to get a good bond between the metal and the the JB Weld. Note: Super glue, although it will work, can be tricky and start to adhere before the plug is fully seated, making for a longer job. Also be sure to use wood to tap on the thread end. Buggered threads can also be a problem. And if you already knew any of this, please disregard.

What about this: Thump it back to where it should be then drill into both outer and inner leg and pop rivet them. Never move again. Put the rivet in the most discrete place, ie towards the back of the guitar. If it is a front leg then change it to the rear.

Rather than damage the leg or the insert, I use a special type of "Super Glue" (Loctite 430 Metal Bonder) for this task, but any of the Crazy Glue/Super Glue (cyanoacrylate) adhesives should work fine. Clean both surfaces well with alcohol, mask the end of the leg where the insert goes in and the threads of the threaded insert, and then apply a light coat of the glue to both surfaces using a Q-tip, and push or tap in the insert and let it dry overnight, insert end down.

This is a common ailment of legs. My solution is like what Lane suggested- I remove the plug from the leg and with a hammer and a punch smack it around the circumference every quarter inch or so both top and bottom and then use a press to press it back in. The punching increases the diameter to make it fit again in the leg itself which has stretched over time.