Binding the body

OK here is the Jig I made for routing the binding channel on the carved top. A piece of 3/8" aluminum that I made to attach to my router.  Then it is clamped to a wood support to suspend the router over the work piece.

Then using the router bit and bearing set I got from Stew/Mac it was a relatively easy process to make the channel.

Another look.

After completing the job.

I forgot to take any pictures during the gluing of the first piece of binding. I used a heat gun to soften the .090 in. binding and molding it to the tight radius I have. This picture is after I did the initial scraping to prepare for the next piece of binding. There is still a little more to be done but I will take care of this after the entire binding in done and the finishing touches are put on the carved top.

Here I am pre-bending the binding to fit the other tight radius using a heat gun.

Here I ready to go after the next piece of binding.

After gluing and taping.

Gluing the fret board on the neck

I have scraped, filed and sanded the bindings on the fret board and I am now ready to glue it to the neck.

First I clamped the fret board onto the neck with the neck attached to the guitar.

 

I then took a straight edge and extended the edge of the fret board down the body.

I then measured from the center of the body out to each line to check the alignment.

I also checked it right down the center line.

When I was happy with the alignment I then removed the neck from the body with the fret board still clamped to the neck. I then used my drill press and drilled a hole with a 1/32nd" bit at the 1st fret and the 12th fret.

You can see here I have turn the bits upside down and will use them as pins for locating the fret board to the neck when gluing.

Now I have removed the fret board and have cleaned it and the neck with denatured alcohol. You can also see I put a strip of masking tape to cover the truss rod so as to keep any glue from getting in.

Now I have applied Tight-Bond glue to both surfaces.

Now I have positioned the fret board on the neck & locating it with the 2 drill bits.

Now to clamp.

I wiped excess glue off with ta wet rag after the first 4 clamps.

Then I clamped it even more.

After 24 hrs I now have 1 more step complete

Gluing the bindings on the fret board

I have been messing around with scrap wood, binding material & glues. I just have not been happy with the results I have been getting. The glue tends to film over and won't glue up well. I found help on this from Juha Ruokangas in Finland. This dude does some awesome work. (Ruokangas.com)  I noticed he was using a squeeze bottle to apply the glue. What I had been finding out is that the glue you use for gluing the binding dries so fast you can only do 3-4 inches at a time. He informed me the plastic bottles made of  Polypropylene is suitable for acetone glues. After finding the right bottle and filling it with IPS Weld On #16 glue I was able to apply the glue very quickly to the entire length of the fret board at once.

Here I have glued and taped the bindings on the fret board.

 Tomorrow I can scrape,file and sand the bindings flush with the fret board.