Faux Binding Trick

[Marcovis]

did this one tonight, thought I'd share. Here's how to do a faux binding with a stained color instead of a sprayed toner color.

Tools needed - green masking tape, razor blade, binding cutter, binding scraper

Step1-tape all around edge of guitar and cut off excess with razor blade.

Step2-run binding cutter around perimeter of guitar, peel back tape to reveal the "binding" and seal with lacquer. I brush on 3-4 lite coats.

Step3-after lacquer is dry, peel remaining tape from body and rub stain on top. After stain is dry, clean binding edge with the binding scraper to remove any stain that is on the sealed binding. In this case, I took 320 and hand sanded the black back to achieve the charcoal color and then used the binding scraper to clean up the edges.

Step4-seal top

Here's the result!

Link to closeup

Just a friendly reminder, one picture per post, others must be linked. Exception in the "in progress and finished work" section.

Edited September 6, 2008 by MiKro

[six_stringer]

Nice work. I will have to try that on one of my bookmatched Maple tops soon.

Jeff

[Quarter]

That came out nice, thanks for the info

[Mattia]

Looking good. I'm having trouble picturing how the binding cutter works; is it 'scraping' at a fixed depth, with the rod riding the sides? How does that give you a clean, crisp cut?

[perhellion]

I'd love to see a pic of the cutter in the position it is in for cutting. I don't quite see how it works. For that matter, one of the scraper in action wouldn't hurt, although I think I get how that one works.

Thanks

[Marcovis]

Here's the cutter in position. If you look close, you can see that the blade is spaced 5/64 from the guide that follows the side of the guitar. This cuts away the tape to expose the "binding". I can take more pics if this doesn't make sense.

Here's a pic of what it looks like after cutting the tape.

[Maiden69]

Nice, I did my 7 string like that, but I had a little problem in 2 areas were the stain seeped a little into the "binding" area because of the razor cut too deep. Now I just use a 1/4" blue vinyl tape to edge the binding and then follow up like you do, either with lacquer or CA glue.

[perhellion]

Pic definitely clears things up. Any problems in the tight curves?

To the person doing the freehand tape, is it hard to keep a consistent thickness to the "binding"?

[Marcovis]

Pic definitely clears things up. Any problems in the tight curves?

To the person doing the freehand tape, is it hard to keep a consistent thickness to the "binding"?

No real problems, you just have to take your time and go slow.

[Maiden69]

To the person doing the freehand tape, is it hard to keep a consistent thickness to the "binding"?

It's a lot easier with the purfling cutter like Marcovis is doing, but I got experience using the tape, so it was easy for me to do it.

[zyonsdream]

That's really cool! Might have to try this out.

[reantel]

I was just wondering how to do this.

Thanks

[Marcovis]

Here's a purple one.

[foil1more]

would it be possible to use shellac instead of lacquer for sealing the edge?

[Marcovis]

would it be possible to use shellac instead of lacquer for sealing the edge?

Yes, you could use anything that will seal the edge.

[Pestvic]

i dont mean to break rules or change the thread or anything but could you PLEASE do a tutorial on staining like that?? i want to do a Grey/black (charcoal grey) look like you did in the first one or like a red or blue (similar to the purple) but i have no clue where to start? like... what kind of stain did you use and all that? Thanks so much!