Guitar 1002 – Binding

March 12, 2012

The binding process for this cutaway is quite a bit more complicated.  I’ve got some tricky executions especially around the neck.

120310buttgraft_0

First I installed the butt graft, and had to recover from oversanding after I installed and trimmed.  I almost sanded through the sides around the butt block and had to go inside and reinforce with resin to restore the thickness and strength of the sidewalls.  After that recovery, I routed out the channels for the binding on the top and back, having to pull short as I approached the neck.

120310bindingchannel

The continuation of the channels was achieved with a chisel and saw, but I still have some decisions to make around the end graft for the neck.

120310binding


Uke 1101 – Bound and Purfled

May 1, 2011

First thing this morning I took my little finger plane and smoothed the headstock down.

110501headscraped

Since this little uke has a spanish heel, I need to route out binding channels between the top and the neck which can’t be reached by the bearing router bit.  I improvised with my dremel circle cutting jig mounted on a plate clamped to the body.

110501bindingjig

This worked well, and I proceeded to install the binding and purfling.  The bent binding came out of the bending machine almost perfect.  I only had to add a little more bend via the bending iron before proceeding.

First, the top binding and purfling was installed.  This side will also have abalam purfling, so the initial install uses teflon to create the channel to accept the abalam.

110501topteflon

The back only has a small accent strip for the purfling.  I’ve used red to trim the binding at the sides, green for the top, and blue for the back.  Oooh, lots of different colors sure is fun.

110501backbinding

Once the glue for the top dried, I removed the binding tape and the teflon, inserted abalam and flooded with CA glue.  Flooding will be several steps until the channel is filled and the CA glue (dried) is flush with the top.  The abalam actually rests below the surface of the top.

110501toppurfling

I’ve constructed a rosewood heel cap that will drift into the body at the back, which I will install after the CA glue dries.

Uke 1101 – Paua Purfling for the Headstock

April 30, 2011

This is one of my favorite parts of building:  Paua purfling.  I use abalam from the Duke of Pearl (apparently he invented abalam, which is appropriately laminated abalone).  I’ve settled on rosewood for the binding, and have prepared all the binding with red accent strips, then thinning it down to around .080″.  Four strips are sitting in the side bender overnight.  I’ll pull them out tomorrow and add more curve with the bending iron.  The channels are already cut into the body to accept the binding and purfling.  I do, however, still need to chisel out the channels where the body meets the neck.  The router bit can’t be taken too close to the neck so as to avoid putting big inappropriate divots in the neck, hence the need to chisel.

In the meantime, while the binding cures in the bender, I tackled the headstock.

110430headpurfling

Guitar 903 – Binding complete

January 23, 2011

Devin and I have completed the binding of the body and the fretboard.

110123stilllife

The body was bound with ebony and BWB purfling.  Additionally a brown/white/black rope purfling was used for the top.

110123backbound

The back is shown with naptha towelled on, which cleans, brings out the color, and indicates where excess glue needs to be sanded off.

The fretboard has been bound with ivroid.

110123fbbound


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