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I have a nice Mad. Rose fretboard that I'd like to bind in curly maple and I'd appreciate any tips, hints etc.. This is my first try at binding a fretboard and I'd like it to go smoothly. It seems pretty straightforward, but I'm wondering what is the best way to glue it up and keep everything aligned?
How do you do it?
thanks, Kevin

There's no magic, not that I now of anyway. Make sure your width is right, as the binding will make the FB wider. I use tape to "clamp" the binding while the glue dries. Don't use too much glue. You'll have to clean it out of the fret slots. I bind my FB's before radiusing them, then when I radius them it also trims the top of the binding.

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If you have access to the John Mayes DVDs he shows how step-by-step. Like Woody, I use tape, but I do it after putting a radius the board. You will also need a way to trim the tang from your fret wire before installing the frets.

The last two guitars I built, I used scraps from the back and sides for both the FB binding and the headplate. I like the way it ties everything together.

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I bind mine after slotting and radiusing the fingerboard. I lay a piece of wax paper on my shooting board, put a piece of wide painters tape on the bottom of the fingerboard, put the binding between the fingerboard and the edge of the shooting board. The painters tape allows the binding to fall just proud of the bottom of the fingerboard. Then I take a block of wood and push against the edge of the fingerboard, thus trapping the binding between the fingerboard and the shooting board. Then I use thin super glue and work down the length of the fingerboard one fret at a time, holding it tight for about 10 seconds before moving to the next fret. It really takes very little time. Then I scrape the binding flush with the top and bottom of the fingerboard. This method also prevents any glue from getting into the fret slots (unless you get crazy with the glue)

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I cut strips of plastic from things like peanut or coffee can tops, and put them in the fret slots. If you get the right plastic cover it will just fit in the slot. Cut them long, and trim the ends off when you plane the 'board to width. Then, when you glue on the binding, there's no place for the glue to go. I just leave the plastic fill strips in place until I'm ready to fret: they keep out the dust and shavings from thinning and surfacing the 'board. Generally it's easy to pull the strips out: catch one end with the point of an X-Acto, and once you've lifted it grab the strip with pliers.

What about cutting the fret slot right into the binding right after gluing so that you don't have to undercut the fret tang? Obviously this is only for wood binding...

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Tia, that kind of defeats the purpose of the binding. It would become a purely decorative element.

Kevin,

I use CA to glue on the bindings. Cut your mitres, test fit, hold in place, wick in CA, and done! No waiting, no shifting of pieces. I glue on the binding after radiusing. If you are using 1/4" high binding, this will leave a small lip above the F/B. I wick the CA along that lip as well as the back. Once the binding is set, a couple of passes with my radiused sanding block on the top and perhaps a few passes of the bottom of the F/B over a strip of sandpaper stuck to a flat surface and the F/B is good to go. Super easy...Don't fret it (pun intended)!

Ken

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Good ideas here. I use the tape and Titebond method.

I was worried that my Stew-Mac radiused sanding block would get off-center and mess up the FB radius when sanding the binding down flush, so I built a little box with no top, slightly wider than the sanding block, to hold the fretboard in the center and guide the radiused sanding block. I use wedges to hold the FB down to the bottom of the box. Works great. Rotate the box and go at it from the other end to keep the wood removal level.

I cut an Exacto saw blade so that it has only 1 inch of blade and use that to clean glue out of the slots.

One thing you may want to do is chamfer the edges of the fret slots prior to gluing the binding. This will keep you from scratching up the binding later. My file control is not so good.

How does everyone treat maple bindings on the playing side of the FB? Any finish or leave plain? Mine stays unfinished, except for some Dr. Duck's axe wax on the whole FB playing surface.

Realy like the idea with the plastic.Alan you never cease to amaze me!! I use string or light cord wound in a helix between the fret slots and titebond .This way I can clean the fret slots while the glue is still soft,but now i'm going to look for some plastic food containers.

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