Official Luthiers Forum!

This is probably me least favorite task. Paint over the binding. purfling, then scrape. Or install after paint but glue can/will ruin paint. Looking for ideas.

Is there a glue that will not ruin the paint (nitro) but securely glue plastic to wood?

Is there another way of painting (paint type) that will not react to duco?

Mike

I’ve only done it once. I did a few clear layers before the color. Then, I masked the binding and purfling with a combination of Frogtape (the edge isn’t wrinkled so paint doesn’t go underneath) and vinyl tape (it’s stretchy so it pulls free on the inner curves). It wasn’t perfect, but it minimized the scraping I had to do after removing the tape. After I cleaned everything up, I clear coated so the binding was even with the color and didn’t look unfinished. Overall, it was such a hassle that I would only do it again if it was a concept project (like that one), and had to be done that way.

You said plastic binding which I install before finishing with water thin CA, mask the side with 1/4 pin striping tape, shoot the color, pull the mask, scrape the top and any cleanup on the side of the binding, the clear coat.

For wood binding or any wood or fiber purfling I pain over the binding and purfling with vinyl sealer or shellac with a small artists brush, that protects it from any blead thru. I still mask the side and scrape the top after the color is on and before clear.

I have not tried gluing binding after finishing - I think it would be very hard to deal with any squeeze out. The thin CA wicks into the seam and while I try to clean it off the wood next to the binding it doesn't seem to show thru like wood glue does.

Forget about putting in the binding after-that will never yield professional results....

I have done it both ways-spraying over the binding and taping then scraping.

I have settled on the taping method-it's really not that hard- even if you cant ( or don't want to) tape the surface of the binding
at the plates it's easy to scrape that part.

I peel the tape after the lacquer is just dry enough to touch-if you wait too long it can chip

I sit down and hold the guitar in my lap and shift it into different comfortable positions taking long even strokes with a razor blade.

i have found that carpet blades are best.