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Using A Binding Scraper Or Sandpaper


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I have both my necks bound and now its time to get rid of the extra. Here is my question, should i use a binding scraper or sandpaper and a fretboard radiusing block? I was gonna use a board and a block becuase i have led's that need to be sanded down and the whole fretboard in general needs to be radiused, but i didnt know if i should scrap the binding first and then go back with sandpaper. If so how sharp should the binding scrapper be, i bought one from stew mac and im not sure if it came sharpened or not (i know i sound like a moron, but im new to binding) if i use sandpaper what grit do i strat and end with?....

thanks

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If so how sharp should the binding scrapper be, i bought one from stew mac and im not sure if it came sharpened or not (i know i sound like a moron, but im new to binding)

Hey I was the same, you dont really sharpen it, you wear a burr on the edge with a burnisher and curl it round to make a miniture hook that works like a plane. There are instructions on the stewmac website. And the burnisher can sometimes be substituted for a large screwdriver or vice handle.

And just remember scrapers remove skin as fast as they remove binding. :D

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When I did mine, I took it down fairly close, almost flush, with the scraper and then finished it up with the sandpaper when sanded the fretboard. the plastic binding gums up your sandpaper pretty bad - and if you sand the binding with anything too coarse, it scratches easily. But it you're progressively going through finer and finer sandpapers until your board shines anyway you'll take care of these.

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I apply binding to the fretboard after radiusing it and getting it to near final sanding. After applying, I scrape it close to flush and then lightly sand. I then come back with a single edge razor blade as a scraper and clean up the binding.

Based on where you are now, I'd suggest scraping it to get close and then sanding. If you have a new scraper, you will need to turn the edge as Mr Alex says. I'd still come back with a razor blade scraper in the end.

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You said the board isn't radiused yet, so you should start fairly coarse with the sandpaper ... maybe 80-100 grit and quickly start moving to higher grits. You really can just keep going until you are satisfied with the finish. As far as your LEDs, they should sand down with the board just fine. You will have to polish them with a pretty high grit if you want them to be pretty clear ... or stop earlier if a milky translucent finish is what you want. The scrapers are probably better for the plastic binding.

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Is a razor blade scraper just a razor blade? lol i know it seems obvious but ive done things like that where one thing where sound like something else but wont really mean it.

It is just a regular single edge razor blade, you know, the kind that has one sharp edge and the other edge has a metal cover over it. The cover provides a nice place to hold the blade. I bought a whole pack of them at the hardware store.

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While im at it i will ask this, how do you guys bind your fretboards Do you use one piece and wrap it around, or cut off back and glue it one, then glue the sides over it? Cause i did the 2nd method listed and i dont knwo if im making things way to harder then they have to be. I actually glued the sides first and then the back, did i do it wrong?

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You can do the sides first, but that inevitably results in a more obvious joint - sine the glueline is visible on either side of the fretboard, rather than on the end, where it is mostly concealed by the neck pickup.

I've not tried bending the binding around the corners, but unless they're generously rounded it would be nign on impossible - a radius like the LP horn is unpleasant to do, anything tighter would be hell.

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  • 1 month later...

Duff Beer Man: Google is your friend. But since I'm feeling magnanamous, here's a link f'r starters: http://www.brendlers.net/oldtools/scraping/scraper.htm

Google around, read various sites on scraper sharpening, scraper tuning, scraper use, and then just go sharpen some and practice on some scrap. You'll learn to absolutely love the things. Great tools.

Re fingerboard ends: I almost always mitre the joints. Polished back, sharp chisel and a bit of practice, and you can get a perfect joint. Do the sides first, and then make sure you've got enough scrap to mess up a few times on the mitres. The ends of my acoustic fingerboards are all curved, so there's that bit to consider as well. For celluloid/acetone soluble bindings, I think it probably matters less, since you should be able to partially dissolve the joint area, making it quasi invisible.

make a few test joints with some small offcuts/scrap.

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