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I’m getting ready to bind my first guitar and plan to use a single binding ledge with 1/4" tall black walnut binding with 1/4" tall maple purfling for the back.
The guitar top will be similar with 1/4" walnut binding and 1/4" tall BW purfling.

The maple strip is .025" thick, and the BW is .020" thick

My problem is that the walnut binding sold to me as .080" thick is actually .100" to .105" thick
I feel that this may be too thick to bend and control, so my questions are:

What width binding ledge should I rout. (I have the LMI. Bearings for .090", .100". .110")

Shall I thin the walnut bindings? If so - to what thickness?
Any and all suggestions will be appreciated
Thanks,
Ray

Hi Ray,

First of all, congratulations on building your first guitar.

I just finished binding my second guitar, so I thought I'd chime in here. Some of the more advanced guys will probably provide better advice, but I'll explain my methodology for what its worth.

The binding size I used was .080" thick by .200" tall. I chose this based on images of guitars I'd found on the internet that I liked, both in proportion and general "artistry"?

Here are a couple of photos of the just completed binding job





As far as what size to rout the ledges, I pretty much used the trial and error method on scrap. It takes a little more time and can be frustrating, but makes the gluing much easier.

Forgot to mention that I used a thickness sander to sand the binding to the appropriate size. If you don't have a thickness sander, you might be able to tape the raw binding material down on a flat surface with double stick tape and manually sand to thickness with a flat block.

You are right in that the thinner binding bends easier! Make sure you get the proportions to your liking.

Good luck,

Pete

a consistent 0.080 would not be bad to bend; black walnut is one of the easier woods to bend provided of course that it is not highly figured. but .105 is probably too thick. for a consistent front and back appearance you may wish to thin your maple to the same as the bw purf, but it is by no means required.

you want your binding/purfling to be slightly proud of the top or back and the sides, and scrape it flush. how proud will be a function of the uniformity of dimension of the binding purfling stock.

given the bearings you have available, i would suggest using the 0.090, and aiming for a binding thickness of 0.075 for bending giving a binding+purf thickness of 0.095, and scrape flush from there.