What to do with the edge...?

[erikbojerik]

Here's the deal; took 3/8" off the top of the body with my router (body was too big for a thickness planer), then glued on the spalted maple top. The problem is, this body formerly sported a curved top edge (1/2" roundover) which still shows slightly at the glue line (you can see remains of the black finish), even after I trued up the edge of the top with a drum sander. There are also some pretty big gaps (up to 1/4") at the forearm contour where the 3/8" thickness was just too much to bend properly.

The back will be finished black, the top will be clear-natural; but I'm at a loss about what to do with the top edge. The options I've pondered are:

1) 1/2" wood or plastic binding (large enough to hide the glue line), but where can I get binding that wide?

2) 1/2" roundover pass (with the black stopping at the glue line)

3) 1/2" roundover pass with a thin black-burst on the top

What do you think? The spalted maple varies tremendously in hardness; the wood around the edge tends to be very soft, so that may be a factor. Let me know if I've missed an option for the edge, and also how you think I should fill the gap.

thanks!

the complete top

the gap at the forearm contour

the edge

[Slaughthammer]

go with a binding after reataching the top, so that you won't get any gaps. and buy/make some more clamps, seems to me as if you didn't use enough of 'em

[Reaper]

Binding would probably look best (perhaps black?)

[erikbojerik]

buy/make some more clamps, seems to me as if you didn't use enough of 'em

The problem wasn't enough clamps, but that 3/8" is really too thick to bend properly, especially with such a variation in wood hardness. I really should have thinned it before gluing the top on; by the time this developed, I was already committed. The place where the gap is located was close to the bookmatch glue joint, and I didn't want it to get too wet when I soaked this part of the top.

[bluespresence]

Why not fill the gaps with epoxy, wood filler or whatever someone that is an expert recommends and paint the black up to the spalt line on the edge?

The back is going to be black like you mentioned and I think the black/spalt edge will give it a nice look. The black will also cover the filler you use.

[basey]

I like bluespresence's idea, except I'd do the back in black with a nice thin pearloid binding on the spalt edge. I think that would make the spalt stand out better than just black.

$.02

[moojiefulagin]

Quarter round and binding below it? ive always thought that looks nice

[moojiefulagin]

Finally got a personal photo! My first guitar im working on! the upload on this forum didnt like my G5. Ah macs, so great, yet so incompatible