Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi everyone,
I just recieved my shipment from Stew-Mac, an attachment for my Dremel to rout for my binding and herringbone. Now what? Do I do the herringbone first and then the binding? Do I put herringbone on the front and back, or just the back?
Any and all advise is apreciated.
Thanks,
Jeff

Hi Jeff,

I typically route my purfling channel before the binding channel, unless it's wide, as would be the case with a herringbone.
As to where you put it, that's a design consideration that only you can decide...

_________________
"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

I'm with Don, purfling first the binding...except for bacwhich sometimes I don't use purfling on. But if I do, I'll rout them out first too!

_________________
Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Hi Jeff, All great advice from the guys, purfling first and then binding! If you're not sure about purfling in the back, just have a look down here, i did not use herringbone but it was roping that i put on the top and on the back and as a center strip for the back also! It's just a suggestion, i'd really think it through if i were you and weigh all the options that are available to you out there!





Serge

Yes Todd, the bit which came with the attachment will cut .250 deep. . So your opinion is herringbone only on the front? I do apreciate the input from everyone, as I am very new to this. I have built one reso, a mahogany with black walnut fretboard and binding. I am nearly finished with my second. It is cherry. I did better on the second, but the first ain't bad.

That's real nice Serge. What kind of wood is that guitar?

I am trying to post some pictures of my reso, but can't seem to get it right. Any suggestions?

Hi, Thank Jeff, it's EIR back and sides with Lutz spruce top and yes, i forgot to mention that i use a laminate trimmer for the purfling and binding channel!

Makes it a lot easier for that task if you insert your lam. trimmer on a jig like Arnt Ryan has shown here or the one shown in the jig section above, made by Don Williams

Jeff, to post pics, you gotta reduce their size first to what is suggested, 150 if i remember correctly!

Jeff

Which Stew Mac Dremel attachment did you get?

I have a question. Which attachment did you get? the one that has a base with the adjustable beam mount in combination with the add-on purfling and binding guide or the one that is a barrel that attaches to the dremel with the adjustable guide?

It really does not matter much which one, for what I am going to tell you. Go Slow, make muti passes at increasing depths per ledge. The dremel is really under powered for this task and either rig is not steady enough in my book. The roller is too small of diameter and too short to insure real good and square ledges. Tear outs are a bigger danger with the under powered dremel.

That said I did my first two with the dremel. so it will work if you are slow and careful.

I too cut my purfling ledge first.
MichaelP38897.5231944444

I have this Stew Mac attachment:


On my first guitar, I tried to rout the binding in one pass...big mistake. The chanel was uneven and just a plain mess. On my second guitar, I used a Sloan purfling tool first to score the wood and took three or four passes with the Dremmel. That went much better. It was slow and tedious, but it worked like a charm (especially for someone like me who doesn't have a large tool budget)

Here's a picture of the purfling tool:




I almost forgot...like everyone else, I cut the purfling chanel first.JBreault38897.5846875

_________________
Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Jeff
I have used the brass edge guide that attaches to my stew mac base for 13 guitars. However I do not recommend it. It is a long job. For me the low power of the Dremel is not the problem because I make light passes. The arch of the back is the problem. It can be done with this tool but you'll have to touch it up with more depth adjustment in lots of places. Here's a pic of a guitar I put bindings on the other day. It has top purfling and side purling.
I cut the binding first on mine.
Colby Horton38897.6543171296

Yea Colby, nice work. Hope to see the finished product.
Thank you all for your input.
Colby, and MichelP, I got the wide base and roller guide with a carbide bit. I have made a few practice cuts, and it seems to be fine. I always work slow anyway, and I also have a limited tool allowance. I think it will work for me.
I'm only on my second reso. I am planning to build a flattop from some wood that a friend gave me. I don't know what kind it is, but it's pretty.

No wonder my bindings always look so shaby I always cut the binding first.

Colby, one more vote to see more pics of your awesome geetar!

Hesh, you lucky guy you, that jig is the one i would have loved to buy myself but had no more change left!

Hesh and Serge,
If it's ok, I'll probably just wait until I shoot a coat or two of lacquer before I post pics. It should really make that wavy bubinga look nice. Right now it's really nothing extra special. Thanks!

Well I always cut the binding first - if your jig rides across the whole side, what difference does it make - none. That cant be said for the bearing style cutters as they may fall into the binding ledge as you cut the purf ledge. The jig shown that Hesh just bought (which I basically have a shopbuilt version of) rides across a wide swath of side - it wont matter. I like to do the binding first, get the depth set on that (in fact I made a second jig a couple weeks ago which the setting never gets moved on, it always cuts an 85 thou ledge), then adjust the jig to just get the purf sitting tight when held in with a small piece of binding - now you have it.

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

[QUOTE=MichaelP]

It really does not matter much which one, for what I am going to tell you.
Go Slow, make muti passes at increasing depths per ledge. The dremel is
really under powered for this task and either rig is not steady enough in
my book. The roller is too small of diameter and too short to insure real
good and square ledges. Tear outs are a bigger danger with the under
powered dremel.

That said I did my first two with the dremel. so it will work if you are slow
and careful.

I too cut my purfling ledge first.
[/QUOTE]

I dumped my Dremel and hardly use it for anything these days. A Trend T
5 router does most of the routing work in my workshop. For rossete work
I use a router and circle cutting jig. The Stewmac rossette cutter/router
attachment rides high and theres too much flex in the attachments for my
liking.

To reduce tear out...I also pre cut purfling/binding channels with hand
cutter before attacking it with the router.