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Hey Everyone,

I am thinking about binding the soundhole on a build, but can't quite figure out how it is done. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Jeff

Ping Paul Woolson. He binds all of his sound holes.

I have done a couple, it was really nothing magic. I thined the binding down to 1/16" and then bent it into a gentle arc and then glued and taped to the hole. I don't have to worry about an absolute absolute absolute fit between the rings because my soundboards usually hang over the hole. And with ebony you can hide any imperfections nearly invisibally anyway.

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

Brock

Your soundboards hang over the hole???? Are you sure that is not your fretboard?

Josh

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
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House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Indeed, 'taint rocket science. Strangely, since I always bind my soundholes, I get asked this question a lot.
The simple answer is as Brock says, bend a piece of wood and glue it to the edge of the soundhole. I use a soundhole patch on my guitars that doubles the thickness of the area around the soundhole. This also gives me extra thickness to glue to without it tipping. As far as length goes, from trial and error (more error that trial I'm afraid) I found the length of my soundholes and am able to cut the binding to that length and they fit perfectly every time. But simple trig will figure that length for you. Find the circumfrence of your soundhole then find the circumfrence fo the soundhold with the thickness of the binding. This will give you two different measurements in which you'll want to make a scarf type of cut. When glued in tight it will fit like a glove (not OJ's glove mind you)Pwoolson38537.3788194444

Now this is a bit more tricky. A ledge has to be cut just like a purfling ledge on the rim. But then the soundhole has to be cut to a perfect raduis or it will look funny.

When I did it I just bent some binding into the general shape that I wanted, put on rubber gloves, and started gluing it down with superglue. It worked just fine.

I know other builders just route a very deep rosette channel where the sound hole is going to be and inlay a slightly oversized strip into that channel. Then they cut out the sound hole after the glue dries. This sound easier to me and allows for fancier bindings.

[QUOTE=Josh H] Brock

Your soundboards hang over the hole???? Are you sure that is not your fretboard?

Josh[/QUOTE]


Duh... ok.. yeah. Sorry, sometimes my fingers get ahead of my brain.   

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

I actually make a round blank and it "plugs" into the soundhole, I have some details here:

Rosette Cutter

The article is about the cutter but you can see the way I make the blanks, the next top I do I'll do a full picture layout and post details....

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars