Official Luthiers Forum!

OK since we are back on topic my electronic tether will permit me to participate again.......

Here are two links to a toot that "we all" did, I say we all because much of the value is in the additions that other posters made here in this binding tutorial. I learned some new tips from the comments of others - Thanks again folks!

This method, pretty standard as it goes, works for me and BTW, not to be a jerk here but this one resulted in no gaps either........

http://luthiersforum.3element.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14410&KW=Installing+Binding%2FPurfings#forumTop

http://luthiersforum.3element.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14411&KW=Installing+Binding%2FPurfings#forumTop%22

Ok, we all have our recipe for how to do this and get it "right". I am with the group that says route it off and do it again if it is still visible... but if you can hide it with an invisible fill then all the better.

Preventing gaps.

Unlike Hesh who likes 'em thick... I like 'em thin. I find thinning the bindings out to .06" gives you lots of flexibility to pull the bindings into the channels and really get things tight

I have given up on CA glue. Lots of reasons. I use LMI white. And I find one advantage to these water based glues is they swell everything a bit thus making tiny gaps almost non existant.

(I still tack the purfling miters with CA though before I bind)

Fixing gaps.

When gaps do appear... in dark woods I cut a tiny sliver of the same wood in the same direction as the original grain and stuff it into the gap and tack it with just a weeeeeeeee bit of super glue. Then I use just 1/2 drop of CA and some sanding and that usually cleans it right up. I like this over just dust and CA because it preserves the grain structure, but again... it is best to have no gaps.

In light woods I see no real option but to do it again, or to take a heat gun and try to soften that spot and move the bindings, but has a hit or miss success rate with me.

_________________
Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com