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If I'm going to mitre the corners of purfling, should I cut the channels for the bindings, then install the end graft/purflings so I can leave them long enough to mitre, then install the bindings/purflings? I've not done this before...I've always just installed the end graft with no purflings and went with purflings all the way around the guitar...I know, I'm a big chicken but now's the time for poultry in motion!

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There are two ways of doing it. Like you said, you can cut the chanenels before the end graft is in or you can do it after, making sure you stop short of the purfs on the end graft and finishing up with a chisel. The first way is probably easier but for some reason, I almost always do it the second way.

Larry,

I've always done it the way it's described in the Cumpiano & Natleson book. The end graft with purfling is put in first. Then you rout the binding channel over the back graft to the depth of the binding only. Then set the depth to the binding plus side purfling and route the binding channels but stopping slightly short each side of the end graft - this leaves a tiny bit of the side you cut to the right depth with a sharp chisel, leaving the purfling proud on each side of the end graft so that you can mitre it with the side purfling. Here's a pic of the purfling on the end graft waiting to be mitred. Hope this makes sense.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Hi Paul and Dave,

I think so, but I'll probably have to mentally over-complicate it for a bit, then just go ahead and do it...now that I'm "Grizzled" I feel more competent at least!

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I'm thinking of doing the mitered purfs on my next as well. Thanks for the great explanation Dave, that really clears up the process in my feeble old mind.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Larry,
Learn how to do this well, then you can show me. I just picked up a nice piece of figured walnut I can probably get 2 sets out of, but I would like to miter the purfling on the next couple I do. I'm kind of a chicken about it too, so I'm interested in how everyone does it.

I've only done it once, but it seemed to work out just fine. I routed the binding/purfling channel in one pass, stopping 3/8" or so short of the end graft. I chiseled out the rest. It's easier than you think.

BIG WARNING/TIP: I had wanted to do mitered purflings on each of my last three guitars. Unfortunately, the first two times I set out to do them, I routed the binding/purfling channels all the way around the guitar and forgot to stop for the endgraft. DOH! It was a stupid mistake the first time, but an even stupider one the second time. (I claim double bonus points for working the word "stupider" into this post.) Recognizing that my stupidity might go beyond two guitars, I decided to PUT A BUNCH OF MASKING TAPE NEAR THE END GRAFT SO YOU REMEMBER TO STOP ROUTING. Think of it as a stop sign for stupidity.

[QUOTE=Kelby]
BIG WARNING/TIP: I had wanted to do mitered purflings on each of my last three guitars. Unfortunately, the first two times I set out to do them, I routed the binding/purfling channels all the way around the guitar and forgot to stop for the endgraft. DOH![/QUOTE]

I just did that on my last one too ! I kicked myself a few times, was about to run out the door in tears, then thought about it and just routed the end graft and puflings out and super glued new ones in. I don't think it took more than 30 minutes.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

I route all edges and graft channel then inlay the graft and purf, just because I too have done the same thing 3 times oops I use a tapered graft, cut a good bit longer than needed so that I can push it up good and firm for a dead flush fit to the graft channel then hand trim it to need length to match binding and side purf for miter.

One of the steps I take is to write in great big letters "STOP" on both the top and back. I do this when the glue is drying on the end graft so I don't forget. It seems pretty idiot proof, but then again, I'm an idiot so I need that.

I do mine the same way that Dave does. Once it's clear in your head it's pretty easy.

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That C&N method is really funny to me. Why not route the depth of the binding + purfling all the way around and stop a few mm short of the end graft, then adjust your setup to route only the binding depth through the end graft?

Seems a lot more straight forward. Thats how I do it.

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jfrench, I thought that was the C&N method?

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

[QUOTE=jfrench] That C&N method is really funny to me. Why not route the depth of the binding + purfling all the way around and stop a few mm short of the end graft, then adjust your setup to route only the binding depth through the end graft?

Seems a lot more straight forward. Thats how I do it.[/QUOTE] I think it's more accurate to go around the whole body at the binding depth than to readjust the depth minus the perfling just for the engraft.

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Take three off cuts of your perfling and glue them together to make a little pad that is the exact height of the perfling. With a tiny piece of very thin carpet tape, secure the pad to the top of the guitar above the graft. The length of the pad should be the width of the graft as it meets the binding. Set your router bit depth to the width of the binding plus the perfling. When the router gets to the end graft, slowly slide it up over the pad.

Do the same thing for the back but make the pad shorter because the graft is shorter there.

The channel will require a bit of clean up with a chisel since the change in height of the router will be governed by the collar and not the bit itself. But at least you can't forget and route through.

You might want to scrape the pad a little bit thinner to compensate for the thickness of the carpet tape.


Mike Mahar38665.3659837963

Mike, that sounds like a great idea!

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

I route all around at the full depth then install the end graft after the glue dries I raise up the router by the thickness of the purfling and trim the graft to the correct height. Then mitre and install binding and purfling around the guitar.