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Looking to make some matching bindings from side sets--how do you folks cut them? How do you ensure consistent thickness and a flat edge?
I'd be interested in different processes.

This is a good question...I am have been wondering the same thing. I hope someone has a good answer.

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Brad
Avon, OH

Joint one edge
cut the binding
joint the edge again
cut the binding

repeat until done

Sand the binding to thickness.

take a router with and edge guide and route a channel in a piece of MDF "almost" the depth of your bindings. Don't route all the way through the end of the board. Stop about 1/4" before the end so the bindings will have something to hold them when you sand them. You can make the width of the channel big enough to insert several pieces of binding on edge.

Stuff the bindings in the channel with their rough edges up. Make sure they are bottomed out in the channel. (you want a snug fit)

Run them through your thickness sander.


If you sides are wide enough you can take two strips off of each, then they will match perfectly.Brock Poling39107.4632291667

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

Do it like Brock, using a fence on bandsaw keeps the edge pretty well flat if pretty good with a bandsaw, but do it oversize and clean one edge flat sometimes we stack them lay on one edge send them slightly in drumsander (wood), Plastic scrape and level whatever it takes. We do 1/4 binding channels so very very little oversize them rough side up scrape and level.

I do it slightly different.

Thickness your material to desired thickness. Joint one edge. Cut to desired width on bandsaw with a fine toothed blade and ripfence, plus 1/16".
Repeat for each binding strip.
Stack bindings face to face and tape the ends together.
Run them through thickness sander to true up the sawn edge. Jimmy Caldwell39107.505

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Jimmy Caldwell
http://www.caldwellguitars.com

I did mine with a Sew Mac fret cutting blade. Thickness the material first.
Joint one edge and rip on a table saw with a fret blade. If you are careful
they come out flawless and ready for bending.....at least the 4 that I have
done in my life were perfect.
Good Luck!
Danny Vincent

I add perflings to mine when I make them. I rough the height of the bindings and sand a smooth true surface on one side. The wood for the binding material is the length of the binding I want,and wide enough for the amount of bindings I need. For instance, if I'm making four, I make it about 1 1/4"s wide. I buy veneer sheets from LMI. I cut the sheets with a knife and straight edge slightly wider then the binding wood. I glue the layers of veneer, (b/w/b etc.)then glue the wood to that. I do this all at once. I use tightbond #2 so the moisture during bending won't loosen the glue. I put wax paper between 2 four foot levels, and clamp the binding/perfling block between the levels. When dry, I thickness sand the binding/perf. block to the desired height. I sand smooth one side of the block, and rip them against a fence on my band saw. I make the bindings on the thick side, the run them through the thickness sander again to the desired thickness. I get perfect binding/perflings every time.

Sorry guys, I just re-read the post and realized your making the bindings from the side sets. disreagard my idea!