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I know we’ve talked about this before, but I wanted to touch on it again.
That is the subject of dressing your bindings.

Right now I simply use some sand paper to soften the edges of my bindings all the way around, save for the area under the fretboard. I would love to know of a better way, a more consistent way. I’m thinking a round over bit on a dremel or lam trimmer. Any one do it this way? What I’m looking for is more of a radius on the edge.

Thanks
Lance

LanceK38687.3068865741

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Lance I have used 1/8" r. roundover bit with a guide bearing and it works well. Their also available with a 1/16" r.

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How soft do you want them. That seems like kind of a lot to me.

I just sand / wipe them with 220 until they feel soft, then go over the edges with 0000 steel wool

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

I use sandpaper as well but also have used the scraper, and a 1/16 round
over bit. All work fine

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

As I was driving into the office I was thinking about this...

You know... you COULD make a special scraper with a big V cut into it and have it round in the trough of the V. Then you could set the radius to whatever you wanted.

If you want the scraped look vs the sanded look that might work....

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

Lee valley makes a round-over tool that I've used in the past.

It works pretty well on very tight grained stuff but wants to pull the grain on anything else. But it might be worth a try.

Another vote for the 1/8th round over in a laminate trimmer. It is quick and fairly consistent (the back is a little tricky because of the higher arch). After routing the binding you go back and clean up the inconsistent spots with a little sandpaper. Takes no time at all. I like the binding to be good and round. It makes the guitar more comfortable to hold while you play. Just make sure that your binding is thick enough our you will cut into the purfling.

JoshJosh H38687.4231712963

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Josh House

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I've tried round-over bits, but have gone back to sandpaper. Takes less time, and nothing can go wrong(tearout, bearing fails and gouges the body, etc...)

Plus, 1/8"(the smallest radius I had) is too much for my eye.

Simple is often best.

I find a well burnished scraper to work best, finished off with sandpaper.

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Like Mario I have returned to using sandpaper, as the potential for disaster with the roundover bit worried me. Not that it ever went wrong, I did get some marking from the bearing though.

I use sandpaper with a stiff foam pad. I find it's actually pretty easy to control the amount of roundedness, but I'm mostly trying to knock the edge off -- not really trying for a radiused look. Takes maybe five minutes to do a whole guitar.

Best,

Michael

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I use 220 grit paper just to knock off the corner and then 320 grit to smooth it out. I'm nervous about hitting it with a power tool at that late stage of the build, they work fast but also can do damage fast too! I use a lot of figured woods in my binding so that may be why I think this way. It's alot like rounding over the soudhole edge, no easy way, just a little care in doing.

Thanks guys for the suggestions, I’m not so much concerned in saving time as I am looking for a softer corner and more consistent radius all the way around.LanceK38687.5138773148

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I think you could make a device with a guide that rubs on the side of the guitar and a cross piece that indexes off the top of the guitar with a scraper blade that makes a neat 45 deggree angle between the two. Scrape the 45 degree bevel, which would have to be consistent due to the limiters, then all you have to do is soften up the edges of the 45 degree cut with sandpaper. That should be quick and accurate and pretty easy. I may make one of those myself. Or you could even make the scraper curved, but that would be more difficult to sharpen.

John

Some people like to use rasps followed by sandpaper. Of course, you still rely on your eye/feel and finesse to make it consistent, but you remove material faster, so a softer corner is more quickly accomplished. A rasp might give you greater control. Or it might not. Just another suggestion.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

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Todd

That is a Sergie de Jonge method if I ever heard one. I remember watching him do the binding on one guitar with a rasp. It was great and he had it done in no time. I was to afraid that I might slip with the rasp and gouge the top of the guitar. But whatever works. I think this thread proves that there really is more than one way to skin a cat. It just depends on what kind of result you are looking for.

Josh

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Josh House

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