mitering binding

[johnsilver]

I have successfully bound a guitar before (scary at times), but on my current projects I plan to bind the neck and headstocks as well. On the headstock, I will have to miter the binding to form to the shape of the head. Any tips on how to lay out the binding and cut and cement the binding so I have "perfect" miters? Thanks.

[Morben Guitars]

Well no on is hopping in here - so I guess I will..

I bound two f-holes on my last guitar, and mitred all the edges. First step is to buy more binding than you need! I ended up using about 2 feet of binding trying to get the mitres just perfect.

Here's how you'll do this: Test fit a piece of binding, I'd recommend the side pieces first. Tape it on and use a razor blade to mark the 45 degree mitre where it needs to be. Cut the mitre with a delicate hand saw and test the fit. If it's good - glue it in and tape it down. Clean up any glue run-out in the mitre area..you'll want that flat and clean for the next step.

Do the same for both sides of the headstock, and wait overnight.

Now for the fun part - this is where you can use a lot of binding..it's basically a cut and fit, repeat as necessary step. You can remove small amounts of binding by sanding - but sand with the paper on a flat surface (glass works great) or you'll have gaps in your mitre joints.

I've found it helpful to keep a piece of binding sitting in a cup of acetone. This will give you a "touch up" piece of binding..you can fill small gaps easily with this. I also recommend using the Duco Cement because like the old model cement - it actually melts the binding and bonds it with the wood or the binding..superglue just kina sticks it there and doesn't allow the binding to conform to irregularities in the joints.

Once you have the piece of binding cut and mitred so that it fits, glue it in..wait overnight agian and cut/mitre the last piece of the puzzle...this is the tough one..

Good luck!

[johnsilver]

Thanks for jumping in. I was beginning to think I either asked a really dumb question or that I needed to give up on the idea of binding the headstock.

I understand your method, and if it works for something like binding f-holes, then maybe I have a hope of binding a relatively straightforward headstock although the mitres won't be 45 degrees - don't guess that matters.

Thanks again.

[angry_jeremy]

I have the Stew-Mac video called Shop Talk 6 and Dan Macrostie (sp/real name?) binds the peghead and fretboard of a mandolin. I think the video is like $10. Anywho, what he does is lays the 2 pieces to be joined so that they overlap where the joint needs to be laying against where they need to eventually go (peghead, etc). He has a jig made, but you could prolley just tape the pieces in place temporarily. He then makes a mark on the bottom piece where the outside and inside edge of where the joint needs to be and connects the lines. He then reverses the 2 pieces of binding so that the bottom piece becomes the top piece in the overlapping. The marking process is repeated and the pieces are cut by slowly nipping away at the strip with a chisel. If you try to chop off too much at once you'll prolley run into problems.

The video is sweet and cheap, I would recommend getting it. Any problems with understanding me, shout me a PM.

[johnsilver]

Thanks man. I may give the video a shot. Stewmac already has the rest of my money.