January 25, 2009

This guitar has the most complex binding/purfling combination to date.  I added a Black/White strip to the curly maple binding that goes all around the sides and back.  I preinstalled the B/W on the bottom of the binding then put in the bending machine.  I later added another B/W strip to the bottom of the binding used for the back before installing.

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Spent the appropriate amount of time test cutting MDF before driving the router into the guitar body.  The top needed two passes, one for the binding, one for the purfling.

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Installed the top binding/purfling first, the concluded with the back binding, which had the attached B/W strips.  The back has a severe radius, and the router needs to be used on a swivelled base to keep the channel somewhat upright.  The channel is slightly deeper at the back surface, but that worked fine as the B/W strip essentially leveled the binding with the sides.

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After setting for a few hours, I removed the binding tape with a hair dryer.

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The binding and purfling installed without any signifcant gaps.

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One problem of note, a section of binding on the back did crack.

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All things considered, I was pleased with the results.  Professional golfers are successful due to their ability to get out of trouble.  No matter how good you are, you occaisionally get into trouble.  Knowing how to get out of trouble and being succesful at it is the secret.  I’m getting better every day of getting out of trouble.  I think I’ve got that crack repaired.

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