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I wonder how many of you use this method when installing binding and purfling. I have some curly Mahogany binding and a BWB purfling that I'll use on the top, back, and sides. Gluing the top and back purfling doesn't seem like an option but gluing the side purfling to the binding would allow that purfling to remain square as it was bent along with the binding.

If you do glue the side purfling to the binding first what kind of glue do you use as it would need to handle the heat of bending and maybe even some water for the curly Mahogany?

I'm using a hot pipe to bend and will probably use CA to install binding/purfling..

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Titebond III

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

I've only done it once but I used fish glue and had no problems when bending.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Thank you. Yeah it seems like re-gluing would be easy AFTER bent properly but I was curious how the CA would react/bend with heat? It would be more water resistant if I needed to moisten the binding, I assume. Never used Titebond III. Unfortunately I don't have enough binding to experiment with different techniques and glues. Maybe I'll try on some different scrap and see how the CA behaves and it's easy enough to pick up some TB III.

Thanks Steve. Never used, don't have, any fish glue. Probably can't pick up at the local HD. Need to get some for various tasks in the future.

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I've been using the LMI white glue and have not had a problem with the purfling separating from the binding during bending. I bend my binding on my Fox style side bending rig.

Pat

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There are three kinds of people:

Those that make things happen,
those that watch things happen,
and those that wondered what happened.

Thanks Pat. I've got some LMI white, and CA, and TiteBond Premium (blue label) but will be bending on a pipe so more likely to separate I assume?

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Garrett Wade Slow Dry white glue. Tape binding & purfling pairs with purflings inside (i.e., binding/B/W/W/B/binding). Bend in Fox style bender. Never had any separation.

TB lll for me. I might be using a Lepages equivalent right now. It seems to look and behave the same as TB. That's the only place I use it on a guitar.

Does anyone manage to do butt wedge mitres after you glue and bend the binding and purfling? As nice as they look. I've pretty much quit doing them because no seems to look at them anyway. It doesn't seem to be worth the time spent.

Danny

I do mine on the pipe. I use regular titebond. I tape the bindings together in pairs for the top and back with the purfs facing each other. I use 1/4" masking tape about every 6" or so and then wrap both sets side by side in aluminum foil. I add a bit of water as appropriate for the wood used on the binding before closing the foil and bend them quickly over the pipe. I remove the foil promptly but leave the sets taped together until I am ready to install. I usually bend them when I do the rims so they tend to set around a bit before being used. I get some minor separations but it all goes back together nicely when the bindings are glued and taped, the glue that holds the bindings in is enough to hold it all together in the end.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Thanks Brian, I'll use your technique.

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Danny: I generally do the miter joints more so for myself than for other folks. I have also noticed that generally the only folks that notice are other builders or woodworkers.Not a very big investment in time for a better look.
Tom

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

LMI white for me. I've tried Titebond, CA and Epoxy, which all separate. Often I'm bending Venetian cutaways (check my website) and LMI white holds for that, bending on a pipe, bare, no foil wrapping, etc.. Sometimes multiline purfling will delaminate on the Venetian bend, but a spring clamp will put it right and will also re-attach the purfling to the binding if you over-heat things. Simpler than trying to re-attach CA or Epoxy.

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Trevor Gore, Luthier. Australian hand made acoustic guitars, classical guitars; custom guitar design and build; guitar design instruction.

http://www.goreguitars.com.au

If it was me, I think I would get more separation using a pipe because I'm sure my pipe gets hotter than my bending blanket and therefore more likely to have the glue soften. If you are really good with a pipe you may be able to run it cooler than I do and have less separation. I bend things in my side bender at 250 - 300 deg F.

Pat

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There are three kinds of people:

Those that make things happen,
those that watch things happen,
and those that wondered what happened.

Maybe I should have said... my pipe has thyristor temperature adjustment. I've no idea what the temperature actually is, I just judge it by the way the water bounces off. But I have full adjustment from cold to just short of glowing.

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Trevor Gore, Luthier. Australian hand made acoustic guitars, classical guitars; custom guitar design and build; guitar design instruction.

http://www.goreguitars.com.au

You're absolutly right Tom. I do them more for myself also. The last one I did was on a tight waisted guitar and BMB fibre purf. One gave me a little trouble and and ended up with a slight wrinkle at the waist. Seems like the worst mistakes always happen on the business part. ie top bass side. Gotta start building more dreads.

Always. The customers who look expect neat ones. Adds maybe 10-15 minutes for me, so worth doing.

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Trevor Gore, Luthier. Australian hand made acoustic guitars, classical guitars; custom guitar design and build; guitar design instruction.

http://www.goreguitars.com.au

+1.

If you are going to do side purfs, go all the way. A few quick nips with a sharp chisel and it's done.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

So....... Cut binding and purf together, mark where the purfling will land on the mitre, 45 with a chisel and scrape off the remaining bit of glued on purfling, the part of the binding that sits on top of the wedge? Simple and like most aspects of my instrument making,"What could possibly go wrong". Ha Ha

Many ways to do this, but I use this method because I never seem to do exactly the same purf/binding scheme twice, so I've never "tooled up"...

Forget about the butt strip, first up. Bind the guitar in the normal way, with the side purfs attached to the bindings, then make up your butt strip. I usually use what the bindings are made from, and attach purfs both sides. Then I inlay the butt strip by knifing around it and excavating the waste with a chisel. When you take out the purfs under the bindings, leave a square nib in the corners then trim that off at 45 degrees. I match up the butt strip using a block plane and bench hook as a shooting board to trim for length and cut the mitres on the butt strip. Pic of the finished result here.
Any risk is not so much in getting the mitres right (because you lave lots of opportunity to get it right by leaving the butt strip long and creeping up on things) but ending with a channel that is slightly too wide for the strip you are inlaying. But it's no big deal to remake a slightly wider strip.

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Trevor Gore, Luthier. Australian hand made acoustic guitars, classical guitars; custom guitar design and build; guitar design instruction.

http://www.goreguitars.com.au

Nice chops Trevor! I'll give that one a try. Thanks.

Sorry for the tread hijack Larry.

No apologies needed. It saves me from starting another thread that this one answers. Thanks for all the info.

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