Binding A Bent Top

[Setch]

If I had to get the sides at 90 degrees to the top, I'd use a router with a radius jig to curve the mahogany after rough cutting to shape. Then, I'd attach the bent maple top, Then I'd rough cut to shape with the bandsaw,with the maple top down on the table.

Finally, I'd make a template on 1/2" ply wood, and then kerf the back parallel to the centre line, 3/8" deep. I'd attach my kerfed, bendy-template ot the maple top with double sided tape, and route with a template bit, ensuring I registered the bearing off the sild 1/8" of the template, not the kerfed section.

[verhoevenc]

Here's how I'm guessing it goes: carve parabola shape into back wood, bend and lglue top on it. Attach body template to back of guitar, and route to shape. Then take off template, flip guitar over onto table with carved top facing down, and rock the body over to it's edge so that the very top of the top is now used as a template (of course as you move along you'll have to change racking/angle/pressure so the area you want is always the flat area). Therefore you end up with a guitar where the sides are always perpendicular to the bent top... not the flat back

Chris

[fryovanni]

Here's how I'm guessing it goes: carve parabola shape into back wood, bend and lglue top on it. Attach body template to back of guitar, and route to shape. Then take off template, flip guitar over onto table with carved top facing down, and rock the body over to it's edge so that the very top of the top is now used as a template (of course as you move along you'll have to change racking/angle/pressure so the area you want is always the flat area). Therefore you end up with a guitar where the sides are always perpendicular to the bent top... not the flat back

Chris

Hmmm....

[Guest AlexVDL]

.

[verhoevenc]

Exactly!

but the thread has also taken on the second subject of "perpendicular to yje bent top, or to the bottom" however Alex is right, that above was the original question. Still un-answered.

Chris

[Maiden69]

It is possible with the dremel, but you need a modded base like the one on the pict above from stew, but with a chamfer to the base. And I bet you most of the guitars like the picture Alex posted is done with CNC. Same like the Warmoth guitars.

[fryovanni]

I still believe you could achive the binding channel with a router or dremel. The key you be the base(small enough to only sample the top close to the area of the side you route- nullify the radius deflection same as radiused acoustic tops). and a bearing or pin that is close to the point of the side were the body meets the binding channel(again sampling the side too far from he point the binding meets the body would possibly give you irregular width of cut). There would still be a few points that would vary, but this can be adjusted very easily by using a very small amount of chisel work(only to adjust the routed channel slightly) and finally using a scraper to true the fit up(taking care to maintain width of binding on the top edge). I could be missing something, but from the binding work I have done as my reference. That is how I would do it. I would NOT attempt to chisel a long section of the binding channel by hand with a chisel(I would never get it close enough to be happy). Like I said, I could be dead wrong.

Peace,Rich