Official Luthiers Forum!

I installed an ebony binding ring around the soundhole on a cedar top. As I sanded down the ring on the back side I noticed that the black ebony dust was getting on the cedar. I don't want to sand the ring on front and in turn grind the black dust into the cedar. Has anyone worked around this before? Or is it an unfounded fear? Thanks!

Eric

well, you could give the whole thing a wash coat of Shellac, which should keep the sanding dust out of the cedar top. Best bet for levelling, though, would be careful use of a well-sharpened scraper.

Mattia is right on. Use a scraper to level rosettes bindings and purflings. Sanding has a couple of pitfalls and besides the surface you will leave with a scrapper is harder to achieve with sanding. If you don't have a set of cabinet scrapper get some. The are by far one of the most use tools in the shop