Routing The Channels on Radius Plates

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johnnparchem
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Re: Routing The Channels on Radius Plates

Post by johnnparchem »

My fear is that the sub base will both help and hurt. As you understand the narrow base will help by minimising the effect of the radius. It will hurt a hand route as the narrow sub base will make it much harder to avoid tipping the top toward the guitar. Even small movements will show (I think I can see the issue in dzthings photo).

Also note he switched to a binding machine his later guitar: http://www.dzplanet.com/mopus-5-body/
Last edited by johnnparchem on Thu Aug 24, 2017 11:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
MaineGeezer
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Re: Routing The Channels on Radius Plates

Post by MaineGeezer »

When I tried using a Dremel tool to cut channels, I found it quite difficult to keep it truly vertical all the time. Maybe I'm just a klutz :-)
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
Kbore
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Re: Routing The Channels on Radius Plates

Post by Kbore »

johnnparchem wrote:It will hurt a hand route as the narrow sub base will make it much harder to avoid tipping the top toward the guitar. Even small movements will show (I think I can see the issue in dzthings photo)
Duly noted! Plan on also adding a long wooden fence to index the side. Risk of tipping will still be there but I hope to minimize it with the "fence" and working slooooow. Seems each method has pros and cons. May even put a small piece of foam rubber on the router base, furthest from the cut edge, so it applies a little spring force /resistance between the far edge of router base and guitar top, making it ever more difficult to inadvertently tip, yet will still comply with the changing slope of the top. I've been stuck at this step for over 2 weeks.
Measure Twice,

Karl B
Kbore
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Re: Routing The Channels on Radius Plates

Post by Kbore »

Do you guys finish sand the wood before Or after applying the bindings? How about wood dye and grain filling- before or after the bindings. Feels like I'm a bit over my head at this point
Measure Twice,

Karl B
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Re: Routing The Channels on Radius Plates

Post by MaineGeezer »

If I used dye (I never have), I would probably do that before installing the binding and purfling.

I grain fill and sand after I install binding/purfling.

Just do the best you can. You're going to screw it up. Everybody does. So don't worry about it.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
Kbore
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Re: Routing The Channels on Radius Plates

Post by Kbore »

MaineGeezer wrote:
Just do the best you can. You're going to screw it up. Everybody does. So don't worry about it.

LMAO, thanks for that. After hours of duplicating other's methods and fixtures to screw it up, I believe you are right. I ordered the tru channel from StewMac. No regrets.
Measure Twice,

Karl B
Kbore
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Re: Routing The Channels on Radius Plates

Post by Kbore »

My kit has a wooden herringbone purfling and a celluloid plastic binging strip. Is it better to glue herringbone first with tightbond, clean up channel then duco bond the plastic binding, or do them both at same time with duco cement?
Measure Twice,

Karl B
MaineGeezer
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Re: Routing The Channels on Radius Plates

Post by MaineGeezer »

I would probably glue both at the same time with Duco cement. It works really well for celluloid and adequately for wood. If doing both at the same time turns out to be too much of a handful, you can always do them separately. It shouldn't be particularly difficult though. The Duco cement sets up fairly quickly so strips stay put after a minute or two, but not so quickly you don't have time to get things aligned.

Lately I've been using this stuff:
http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Su ... _Glue.html

It works well, but I'm not sure it's worth its premium price vs. Duco.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
ruby@magpage.com
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Re: Routing The Channels on Radius Plates

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

I have done herringbone and tortoise plastic binding with Duco and had no problems. I even did this 5 piece all at once with Duco - at least the red one is wood, and maybe some of the tiny white ones are wood - not sure on that one. I always do a couple quick coats of shellac before I cut the channels for a cleaner cut

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/ ... 029319394/

Ed
Ed M
tippie53
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Re: Routing The Channels on Radius Plates

Post by tippie53 »

I have read on the net a while ago where people were using tite bond on plastic. I can tell you that it holds for a short time then releases as the plastic expands and contracts
I use Duco for all binidng. I will use tite bond or fish glue if I am doing wood bindings.
As for cutting the channels the top is pretty straight forward but the back has the radius and the tilt so you need to be able to compensation for this geometry.
In my early days I did about everything you can think of. I tried the router , the dremel , the freizing knives . Nothing did a great job till I started using the binding machines. The first one that worked was the Tower design from Tom Ribbeke , the secret to that design is the donut . Once you control the points of contact you can lower the variables. I am at 225 guitars now and I think I have learned a few things.
The dremel or any stepped pilot bases have the same issue , the cutter leans out as you go around the back. If you do multiple step cuts you can keep stepping back then clean up with a file or scraper.
The biggest mistake I see is that people set up to scrape the binding to the sides. I do it so I can sand the sides to the binding. Only a fwe thousandths here is needed but it removes a variable for a better result in binding.
Take your time do multiple set up checks and you will soon master this part of the fit and finish
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
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