FF Hole Cracks are very common for violin family instruments. Most of the time they can be glued from the outside. If the instrument is taken apart a well fitted cleat can be added to help strengthen that area.

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Another "ff" crack. Each one needs to be glued using a silghtly different technique.

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Pulling a ff crack together and then cleating it from the outside.

1. First make sure the crack is clean.
2. I like using a small roll of leather to wedge the crack together because you can adjust the crack verically while clamping
3. This crack was pretty far apart so I needed to use another clamp to help pull it together.
4. It also needed a wide strip of fiber on the inside to keep the glued joint together.
5. First cut the strip the size that you need. The constraints are the ff hole size and the position that the clamps will end up.
6. Since this one was extra long I will need two clamps.
7. Place the piece on the outside where you want the strip.
8. Position the clamp at the angle you need to use through the ff hold
9. Mark the angle.
10. Hydrate the strip with water
11. Take a small drop of CA glue and put it on the end of the clamp, lightly press the fiber onto the clamp.
12. Once it's dry add glue to the fiber strip.
13. Slip it into the ff hole and clamp it in place.
14. Add the second clamp
15. Wait 24 hours.
16. Slightly wiggle the clamp and it will pop off of the fiber.
17. Seal the crack with clear so when someone polishes the instrument, dirt will not fill up the crack.

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