probably a stupid question

[Meegs666]

im having trouble figuring out what size binding i would need for doing the neck of my guitar. if i got it and it ended up being too tall could i trim it down? how would i do it? its going to be tortoise shell red so i cant really take electric sanders or saws to it cuz it might catch fire. the board is coming to me with the radius in it already so i know the binding is gonna have to be trimmed and sanded down.

[johnsilver]

If you are worried about the binding catching fire, I presume it is made from celluloid nitrate. In that case, you can use a cabinet scraper to trim any excess down to fretboard level. It works quickly and accurately. Since you say the binding is "going to be tortoise", you probably haven't ordered it yet. Wait until you get your fretboard, then order what will fit well with a slight overage. The scraper will take care of any overage quickly. It is also a useful tool in general, especially if you use figured wood for tops.

Here is one sold by Stewmac, but you can get them cheaper. You will need a steel rod to burnish the edge to make the scraper usable. This link only shows the scraper.

Hope this helps.

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