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So I am doing radial cocobolo purfling on one of my current builds. I forgot to seal the channels with shellac. Can I still shellac the top and expect it to be safe to use CA glue? I doubt it, but thought I would ask. I can always use titebond. I have done it that way in the past just fine.

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Hey, Chris, From the way you have worded your post, I am not sure where you are in your process. Okay, you've routed your channels and you forgot to seal the binding channels with shellac. I've got that. Have you already begun gluing? With CA? If that's the case, then I would hazard a guess that it might be too late.
Have you done all of one side? Or half of one side? Or what? Have you seen any color bleed yet? If you're at a point where you still have binding to glue, you could seal those channels and continue. If you've only got a few inches of binding glued, you could stop and then go in with a very thin brush and seal those channels before going any farther. If you're not totally glued in there, then you still have options.

But to answer your real question, I don't think sealing the top without also sealing the binding channels will do you any good. I would definitely seal the top now (good practice in my view), but it won't keep CA from wicking in to the exposed end grain of your unsealed binding channels. You need to seal any channels that aren't yet sealed. At least that's my opinion, but I'm stickin' to it.

Best wishes for a successful outcome!
Patrick

All binding and purfling (non-radial) have been glued in.

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Chris, do you see any staining or bleed from the CA or the cocobolo migrating into your top? If not, then you might have lucked out on this one. I repeat from my previous response: DO seal the top. Seal the coco, too. If you don't, there would be a chance of the cocobolo bleeding some color when you apply the finish.

The purfs were glued in with titebond. No CA or cocobolo used yet.

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Thanks for the help.

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