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Ronn on the side the gap is very consistant in your picture. It looks like to me anyway that the binding and purfling did not seat on your bottom ledge on one side of the body. This can sometimes be caused by the binding ridding up during glue-up on a radius left in the rabbit by a worn router bit. This can be over come by three means. The first is to over cut the bottom corner of the rabbit with a chisel so that you remove the radius left by the bit. The second is to put a chamfer on the bottom inside edge of the binding-purfling larger than the radius. Third is to get a new bit but it too will eventually wear a radius at the bottom edge of the flute So I chamfer the inside-bottom edges of my bindings.

Also what ever tie down method you are using need to both pull down and pull in the bindingsMichaelP38965.7138657407

Ron

You are the only one who has this problem of gaps. I know I never have this problem.

Sure !!!! I have gotten better and here is what I attribute it to.

First, I went with Stew Mac binding bearings and bit which is giving me good success at reasonable cost (<$90)

Next, I have been thinning my wood bindings more which makes them more pliable.

I use tightbond and have all my binding tape precut and ready so I can work fast.

I copied the approach from Robbie Obrien from his video where the bindings are across from me and pulling the body against my body as I pull the bindings.

Then, as soon as one side is finished, I run that cotton straping material (not sure what they call it) around the body binding it all up. I only do one half at a time and waiting a couple hours in betwen sides.

Probably not the most efficient approach but I am not working to a schedule.

Also, when using a binding with a purfling on the bottom I glue the purfling to the wood binding, scrape it level and then bend the bindings.

Hope this helps and realize there are probably much more efficienct approaches but this has been working for me.

Most of these tips came from Robbie's DVD series which are a great value, as is John Mayes. I have purchased both and picked up some neat tips from both.

Hope this helps

Ron, No one has this problem but You!!! Sorry 'bout that I just couldn't resist. I started using the StewMac Tool that attaches to a Dremel..does the job, but very easy to get an uneven rabett. Now I use a handheald lam trimmer with a small base, and StewMac bearing cutter. It does a good job, except cuts a little shallow around the upper bout. My next improvement will be a binding jig. My gaps keep getting smaller, but there is always at least one to nag at me.

I have had good results at disguising the ones on the top by shooting a few coats of lacquer then drop filling them just prior to the first level sanding. I've used both CA and Lacquer for drop filling with equal results. CA is quicker though. After drop filling I scrape the fills using the razor blade and tape method then wet sand. This only works for the small ones anything of any size, and I would reroute and replace the binding with new.

Al