Official Luthiers Forum!

I am about to bind my first fingerboard for a walnut OOO that I am making. I am using an ebony fingerboard and have access to several types of binding; I bought a big box of various bindings and purflings from a gentleman in town. I actually tried to glue some of the white vinyl type from Stew Mac and used 3 different types of glue and did not have good success with either: 6 minute epoxy, Duco and Titebond 2. I have not tried CA yet because I only have thin. I did not scratch up the surface of the binding and used a wedge type of jig to clamp the binding to the fingerboard. I let each sit for about one hour before unclamping and checking for bonding.
Please recommend a type of glue and binding material to use that might give me the best chance of success.
Thanks, Tom

I have used "weldon" #16 with some success. I don't use to many plastic bindings anymore but I have in the past. You might want to scuff them slightly.

_________________
Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

CA works fine on plastic bindings, either thin or medium viscosity. Use the medium if you feel comfortable with applying the CA to the binding first and then holding or clamping the binding to the fretboard. It sets up fast so be sure you rehearse the procedure.
Use the thin CA if you want to fit and then clamp or tape the binding in place. It will wick in between the binding and the wood if the fit is good.
If your method of clamping or taping isn't holding the binding as tight against the fretboard as you would like, try "tackwelding" the binding every inch or so while holding pressure against it with some kind of a pushstick or whatever. Apply some CA accelerator to the joint first though so that the thin CA doesn't wick too far along the seam and get ahead of you. You can then come back and apply thin CA to the rest of the seam and let it wick in thoroughly. The capillary action of thin CA is an amazing thing and can be both good and bad depending on whether you're ready for it.
Strongly recommend using either a fan to blow the fumes away from your face or a vapor mask.

Thanks for both replies; I am trying a test of both on scrap to see what kind of results I get.
again, thanks, Tom