I tried both ways of cutting the binding rebate using a laminate trimmer and also using handtools only: the chisel and purfling cutter. Although using the trimmer was much faster than using hand tools, I found that it's a great learning experience to use hand tools only to cut the rebate. Just that session alone, my understanding of how to use the chisel improved. I made the purfling cutter using some scrap bass wood, after seeing ideas from Waddy's build and the commercial available cutters. Glued the various pieces together using PVA. Surprisingly though its poorly made, it worked quite well.
Completely agree, i am finishing my first binding channel all with handtools, you can save a lot of time and accuracy with a laminate trimmer! However i learned a lot with handtools!
I had to laugh when you cut into the neck when routing the binding channel. I only laugh because as you say, "a friend of mine did the exact same thing..." Lol...
No, I do not bind my classical guitar necks. The intention was to continue the channel as far into the fretboard area as possible as this will have to be cut by hand later. Glad you are enjoying the videos.
@@RyanTipps It depends on your construction style. This is a classical guitar built using the traditional Spanish method. This means the neck goes on first. Therefore, I must work around the neck when cutting binding channels. If you are using a different construction method that calls for a bolt on or dovetail neck I would definitely cut the binding channels before attaching the neck.
The router rides around of the guitar on the edge of a thin "ring". It has to be this way to compensate for the doming of the top or back. The router would be too unstable to freehand it. Watch this video to see other ways to cut binding and purfling channels. Watch my Luthier Tips du Jour video entitled "Cutting Binding Channels" to understand more.
"Never experiment unless it is your friend's guitar..." LOL, but my friends are all bigger than I am. Point taken, I can do some fancy channel cuts on firewood and nobody will notice.
I find the bearing always seems to leave a noticeable indentation where it runs on the guitar and can see yours does the same. Is this always the case and just something to accept and sand back after?
"Thin wash of shellac.." Doah! I wish I'd thought of that a week ago. OK, next time. In fact, I'm attaching the neck tomorrow morning and I should give the top a wash anyway. It's Port Orford Cedar, and I'm finding it dings easily.
It is made to work on electric guitars so I guess it depends on how uneven your top is. The rub collar rides right along the very edge so it would have to be pretty uneven to not work.
Thank you again for a fantastic video, Robert. There is always something to take away from them! I noted that you continued your binding cut into the neck (11:40). Was the intention of this to match the neck's binding channel to that of the top?
It seems perfect ! But wouldn't it be easier to make this job before attaching the neck to the body, especially where the heel is close to the binding joint ?
Robert, Question: The router actually floats up and down, using gravity to press down on the work? This then negates any small variations in work table flatness or level and any variation in how accurately the binding machine is set up? (Hand cutting is very soul-fulfilling, but looking for a more production oriented method). Thanks, as always, for great videos!
Hi Robert. How would this work on an electric guitar that has an uneven front face? I've managed to easily cut the channel on the flat back but am struggling to see how to cut an even channel on the front. Loving your videos :-)
Hi Robbie. Just curious, but is there a reason you decided to adjust the carrier so the guitar was level rather than so that the sides were 90 degrees as in the Luthier Tips du Joir on cutting binding channels?
In comparasion to the Stew Mac TrueChannel system, which do you think is the better one. The LMi system is about $150.oo more with carriage and router bit & bearings tha the StewMac System
best lesson on how to do the binding channels ! great picture as we can see all the details ! Thanks !
Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching.
I tried both ways of cutting the binding rebate using a laminate trimmer and also using handtools only: the chisel and purfling cutter.
Although using the trimmer was much faster than using hand tools, I found that it's a great learning experience to use hand tools only to cut the rebate.
Just that session alone, my understanding of how to use the chisel improved.
I made the purfling cutter using some scrap bass wood, after seeing ideas from Waddy's build and the commercial available cutters.
Glued the various pieces together using PVA.
Surprisingly though its poorly made, it worked quite well.
Completely agree, i am finishing my first binding channel all with handtools, you can save a lot of time and accuracy with a laminate trimmer! However i learned a lot with handtools!
Absolutely invaluable info. Thanks for sharing.
I had to laugh when you cut into the neck when routing the binding channel. I only laugh because as you say, "a friend of mine did the exact same thing..." Lol...
I love what you do. Keep it up!
No, I do not bind my classical guitar necks. The intention was to continue the channel as far into the fretboard area as possible as this will have to be cut by hand later.
Glad you are enjoying the videos.
What is the advantage of doing this vs. routing the channels before attaching the neck?
@@RyanTipps It depends on your construction style. This is a classical guitar built using the traditional Spanish method. This means the neck goes on first. Therefore, I must work around the neck when cutting binding channels. If you are using a different construction method that calls for a bolt on or dovetail neck I would definitely cut the binding channels before attaching the neck.
Thank you and yes, Sometimes I do take requests.
The router rides around of the guitar on the edge of a thin "ring". It has to be this way to compensate for the doming of the top or back. The router would be too unstable to freehand it. Watch this video to see other ways to cut binding and purfling channels. Watch my Luthier Tips du Jour video entitled "Cutting Binding Channels" to understand more.
"Never experiment unless it is your friend's guitar..." LOL, but my friends are all bigger than I am. Point taken, I can do some fancy channel cuts on firewood and nobody will notice.
What an amazingly well described job you did on this vid. It explained everything. Do you do requests?
I find the bearing always seems to leave a noticeable indentation where it runs on the guitar and can see yours does the same. Is this always the case and just something to accept and sand back after?
It is a special binding cutter bit available from LMI
"Thin wash of shellac.." Doah! I wish I'd thought of that a week ago. OK, next time. In fact, I'm attaching the neck tomorrow morning and I should give the top a wash anyway. It's Port Orford Cedar, and I'm finding it dings easily.
It is made to work on electric guitars so I guess it depends on how uneven your top is. The rub collar rides right along the very edge so it would have to be pretty uneven to not work.
Thank you again for a fantastic video, Robert. There is always something to take away from them! I noted that you continued your binding cut into the neck (11:40). Was the intention of this to match the neck's binding channel to that of the top?
Ok thanks. I've just been using a standard router with large foot-plate up to now which is much to large to work.
It seems perfect ! But wouldn't it be easier to make this job before attaching the neck to the body, especially where the heel is close to the binding joint ?
Robert,
Question: The router actually floats up and down, using gravity to press down on the work? This then negates any small variations in work table flatness or level and any variation in how accurately the binding machine is set up?
(Hand cutting is very soul-fulfilling, but looking for a more production oriented method).
Thanks, as always, for great videos!
you are correct.
Hi Robert. How would this work on an electric guitar that has an uneven front face? I've managed to easily cut the channel on the flat back but am struggling to see how to cut an even channel on the front. Loving your videos :-)
If it were a steel string guitar yes, but this is a classical guitar with a Spanish heel design.
Just compensate for the difference in thickness between the upper and lower bouts.
Hi Robbie. Just curious, but is there a reason you decided to adjust the carrier so the guitar was level rather than so that the sides were 90 degrees as in the Luthier Tips du Joir on cutting binding channels?
In comparasion to the Stew Mac TrueChannel system, which do you think is the better one. The LMi system is about $150.oo more with carriage and router bit & bearings tha the StewMac System
They both perform as designed. However, the carriage for the LMI jig is nice.
Hi... why don't you use the router free hand? I mean... run the router around the guitars top instead of having it mounted on that column?
Para mi es mas fácil y mas rápido pasar la máquina a mano y no tenerla en posición fija.
Esa es también una forma de hacerlo.