angry_jeremy Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 I'm thinking about making a bound neck for one of my guitars in progress. I've never made a neck before but I think I've got the idea, all I need now is the tools (and money...) and the time Get neck shape finalisedCut fingerboard to width minus twice the width of the binding (one on each side)Cut the fret slotsRadius the bretboard, ah crap when do I get to radius the binding... Cut off part of the tang on each side of the fret with fret trimmersInstall fretsInstall bindingInstall fingerboard on neck A couple questions...Bind before installing frets or after (I don't want the fret slots to go through the binding)Install the fretboard before or after fretting So yeah, i just need some clearing up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 i've never even done a bound neck but you always want to glue the fretboard on before you fret. And i've seen a couple of bound necks being/made so i'm pretty sure you slot, bind, before you install the frets. As wes discovered with his neck thru you're going to need a little tool that cleans the fret slots after you've done your slotting and binding but before actualy fretting, and don't worry about the fret slot showing thru the binding, that's why you're nipping off part of the tang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kings_x Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 I remember seeing someone posting a picture of their progress on a neck (can't remember who). But they glued the fretboard on then used a router with an edge guide to route out each side of the fretboard for the binding. I might try that on my next guitar. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted February 9, 2004 Report Share Posted February 9, 2004 Binding before fretting, always. I've used a router to create the binding channel after installation, and I've also applied the binding to the board before attatching it. I like applying the binding to the board because then, when I'm doing the final planing to the underside of the board in preparation for the glueing, the binding is always perfectly straight, because it gets planed with the board. I don't have to worry about getting a good, tight fit against the back of the neck, or the board, like you do with a rabbet cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angry_jeremy Posted February 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 Thanks all Of course this isn't gonna happen for quite some time, but I wanted to make sure I had the right idea. krazyderek: Why did wes end up needing the little fret slot cleaner? Was it to clear out any glue that might seep in after gluing on the binding? One of these? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 i've never even done a bound neck but you always want to glue the fretboard on before you fret. Nuh-huh. You can fret before or after glueing the board, I've done it both ways, and I found fretting with the fretboard unattached was *much* easier. I attached it to a thick flat slab of formica'ed worktop material with some doublesided tape, fretted it, then flushed and bevelled the fret ends before glueing it. It is by far the best fretwork I've done so far, and I found it so much easier I doubt I'll ever go back to fetting with the board glued to the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angry_jeremy Posted February 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 Hmm...very interesting. I tend to agree with Setch, I think that would be the easier way, everything is nice and flat for hammering against. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 To answer the original question too: 1. Thickness, taper, slot and radius board, in whatever order works for you. I have used pre-cut boards on most of my guitars, so I don't have any real opinions on the best order. Remember when slotting that you should make the board narrower by twice the thickness of your binding material, so that with binding on each side it is the correct width. 2. Attach binding to the body end of the fretboard, and trim it flush with the sides. Remove all traces of dirt/sawdust/fingergrease from the ends of the binding, then glue on the sides. This should result in an invisible joint, and it's easier than cutting mitre joints. 3. Once the glue is dry remove the extra height of binding with a small block plane, scraper or sandpaper on a flat block. Run a radius block with 320 over the board to flush up the top surface, and use a dead flat sanding block to true the bottom. Now you can either glue to the neck and fret, or fret then glue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 Was it to clear out any glue that might seep in after gluing on the binding? One of these? Cheers yep...that was why and that is what i ordered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angry_jeremy Posted February 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 Do I get a prize for guessing the tool and the reason you had to get it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 i've just heard stories of fingerboards bowing if you fret them before you put them on the neck, double sided taped formica might have helped but i'm still puzzled. but you're the one with binding experience not me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank falbo Posted February 11, 2004 Report Share Posted February 11, 2004 Likewise. If someone says "I got good results by...." I'm not going to argue with them, but I would never fret before intstalling the fretboard. The fretboard does backbow, and that in turn can have an adverse effect on the straightness of the final product. I see it like this: if you fret before, (besides having to clamp against frets instead of wood) then you are glueing the fretboard to the neck at a time the fretboard "wishes" it were backbowed, from the pressure in the fret slots. Your glue joint has that implied tension inside of it. If you glue the board first, you now have the chance to level any variations that occurred when you installed it, as well as fret with the strength of the whole neck blank behind it. As far as fretting against the flat surface under the board, I usually fret before I shape the neck, unless I think I have "problem wood" that may come out of level once its thinned down. But that way, I still have the flat surface under the neck to pound away against a flat work table surface. I'll all but level and dress them before I shape the neck. As a matter of fact, it enables you to do the angle of the fret ends at the same time you're shaping the shoulders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted February 11, 2004 Report Share Posted February 11, 2004 What Frank said...I'm doing my first-ever neck that way now (back-contour last), and I must say I can't imagine doing it any other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angry_jeremy Posted February 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2004 Oooh... That makes sense about the backbow. I haven't shaped the neck either because of some "issues" (another post in itself) but I suppose it would be good to slot then glue it on and fret, and then shape the neck cause you would have exact dimensions to work with (neck thickness, etc) instead of having to compensate for the height of the fingerboard (which can lead to mistakes if you're not paying attention). Keep 'em coming friends! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted February 11, 2004 Report Share Posted February 11, 2004 Frank, I followed pretty much that exact train of logic for previous fretjobs, but I haven't experienced any problems with the unattached fretboard technique. Yes, the board will backbow, but the caul it is taped to keeps it dead flat throughout fretting, and the bow is easy to push flat with one finger - it is totally removed from the equation when you clamp for glue up. The trade off is not having to support the neck whilst you fret. Basically, your fretboard is flat and true, with the front and back parallel. As such, gluing the board to a dead dead straight neck, can only result in a straight board. The order I did my last neck was: 1. Taper neck and board with the same template, clamp in position and drill positioning pins at 3rd and 17th frets. 2. Remove board, and clamp neck to a flat 2 x 4 to rough shape the two ends with a rasp and scraper. 3. Glue neck to body, route for neck pickup, using the still square neck shaft to clamp the pickup template. 4. Inlay board, dress flat and polish inlays with a radius block and varius grades of sandpaper. ( this is when I would have added the binding if I'd used it on this neck). 5. Fret board, flush trim and bevel fretends. 6. Glue on board, using the positioning pins to get it prefectly aligned. 7. Shape the rest pf the neck, joining the two ends with longs flowing spokeshave strokes. Like Franks said, I'm not going to question any method which has proved effective for other folks, I simply wanted to address Derek's statement that you 'always' want to glue up first. That is a tried and tested order, but it isn't the 'only' way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted February 11, 2004 Report Share Posted February 11, 2004 I agree with all of you.. lol You can fret it before you glue it on but you might have to go over your frets with fret leveling tools if any of the 3 are not completely flat: Top of fretboard, bottom of fretboard, and top of neck. I've seen it done both ways with success but just depends on what your more comfortable doing. I have just been gluing my fretboards on and then fretting, since I can then get the neck perfectly level with some chaulk lines and stew mac's fret leveler with various grits. Then later the I use a 12" radius block to regain my fretboard radius. Ideally you'd put that joker in a neck jig and string it up to tuned tension, raise the support rods, and level that way. You'd get a much faster playing neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angry_jeremy Posted February 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2004 Yeah, about that binding... I'm gonna have to do a bevel at the corners because I want to use some w/b/w/b/w. Crap. Actually, I got the Stew Mac Shop Talk 6 (?) and Don MacRostie was binding a mandolin peghead and it didn't look too bad. I think he used acetone to melt them together... I may want to bind the body too, do I need a heat gun to bend the stuff? Will a hair dryer do? Here's the body... I'm still a little scared about carving up that top. Practise, practise, practise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angry_jeremy Posted February 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2004 What can be used to glue the binding to the fingerboard, super glue? Any alternatives that aren't going to leave me with fused fingers Does anyone have experience using this little number? Binding channel cutter from Stew Mac. Supposed to be good for curved tops. In the end I would like to have binding on the neck and around the body. My friend's Epi LP had this but APPARENTLY they don't make 'em like that anymore so I can't post a pic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angry_jeremy Posted February 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2004 Nobody? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.