Jump to content

Brass Binding


Recommended Posts

Hi. I was browsing through the hobby shop, and I picked up some brass strips, 1/4 inch wide, and about 1/16 thick. I was thinking about using it for binding a fingerboard. I do have a few questions, would I use superglue or would the regular weld on binding adhesive work? Also, the brass is pretty stiff along the skinny plane, would the brass stay glued even from the slight flexing a neck would have? Thanks for any input.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure if glue would be enough. I would drill the brass out exactly where sidemarkers should be and then countersink the holes . This way you kill 2 birds with one stone by screwing the binding into the wood (as well as gluing) AND making sidemarkers.

Edited by Southpa
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried it once with thinner brass (about 1/32" thick), and I couldn't get it to stick with superglue or regular binding adhesive. I tried to glue the binding smooth, and when that didn't work, I roughed it up with sandpaper. Still no luck. It just popped right off. Perhaps epoxy? I expect the results would be similar, but I never tried it.

If you already have the brass, you may want to do some tests on scrap wood with different methods of attaching it. Southpa's idea sounds like it would be worth checking out.

I've seen guitars with brass binding, so I know that it's possible, but I'm not sure how those results were achieved. I hope my mis-adventures help narrow it down!

Good luck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried it once with thinner brass (about 1/32" thick), and I couldn't get it to stick with superglue or regular binding adhesive. I tried to glue the binding smooth, and when that didn't work, I roughed it up with sandpaper. Still no luck. It just popped right off. Perhaps epoxy? I expect the results would be similar, but I never tried it.

If you already have the brass, you may want to do some tests on scrap wood with different methods of attaching it. Southpa's idea sounds like it would be worth checking out.

I've seen guitars with brass binding, so I know that it's possible, but I'm not sure how those results were achieved. I hope my mis-adventures help narrow it down!

Good luck

You will need to use Gorilla glue and rough up the mating surface on the brass with 60 or 80 grit before gluing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi. I glued a test piece on a piece of padouk with superglue. I roughed up the brass and wood with 50 grit, and beat on it a day later, and I had to pry it off with a screwdriver. I will try it with the epoxy and gorrilla glue before it put it to use. I plan on having a bloodwood fretboard and gold frets with brass tubing around 1/4 inch paua dots for markers. How well does the gold frets from LMI work?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You will need to use Gorilla glue and rough up the mating surface on the brass with 60 or 80 grit before gluing.

Good to know! Maybe I'll give it another try one of these days!

Hey Doug,

Where in Forest Park do you live? I used to live there on Harlem and Roosevelt.......900 block of Elgin Ave. to be exact

Been in Ct. for 10 years now. Is Parky`s Hotdogs still there? I loved that place! I built quite a few guitars for Kagan and Gaines Music (But I don`t think they are still there now).

Small world!

Edited by msherman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...