Fretboard binding

[Bruce Dow]

Hi all.

On my next build, I am thinking about adding binding to the fretboard.

I am just wondering how that is done.

1) Is any specific type of binding recommended? (Plastic? Wood?)

2) I am guessing that the binding is fixed to the fretboard before it is laminated to the neck (rather than trying to rout a rebate for it afterward) Is that the right method?

3) If I have a "kit" fretboard, do I trim to reduce its width to compensate for the thickness of the binding?

Am I missing anything that I need to think about?

Thx.

[naccoachbob]

I glued my binding to the f/b prior to putting it on the neck.
Also, I reduced the width of the f/b by the same amount as the width of the bindings.
I used bloodwood. If the f/b is radiused (probably is), you will need to put a bit of a slope on the binding.
Here's some pics in this topic:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=299

Bob

[Freeman]

I bound my mandolin f/b in white plastic (the little curved piece a the the end is tricky) and used maple with a thin rose strip on the tricone. As long as your binding is at least as thick as the f/b just reduce the overall width by that amount. Clamp two pieces of wood to a work surface next to the f/b (they will be an an angle). When you get ready to glue the binding on glue everything up and force gently into the V of the wood - clamp a piece on the wide end to hold it in and another on top to hold everthing down. You want to make sure that both the f/b and the bindings are all flat on the bottom, particularly if you put a thin piece of trim.

Miter the end by the soundhole or whatever kind of treatment you want to do there. A nice touch is to carry the f/b binding through the theme of the guitar - I used the same maple on the body and headstock.

I radius everything after the binding is on. When you get ready to press the frets in you will need to notch the tang out to clear the binding - I used a tiny drop of CA under the tang and found it much easier to press the frets than try to hammer them in.

If you get the wild idea of using pearl I would assume that you need to actually route a channel, fill it with the little teflon strip, glue your outside binding on, pull the teflon and insert the pearl (usual way of doing pearl purfling). I would think that you would want to route before you had any radius on the board.

I think this is a picture of the tricone neck, I'm kind of shooting blind

[kencierp]

I actually use one our top/back joining fixtures for gluing the bindings to the fingerboard -- note the use of shim wedges to apply pressure, I like this system for clamping to avoid the chance of regular clamps tipping the caul off the work board. Note also that the work-board is covered with "clear plastic packaging tape" to prevent the FB from sticking to the work-board.

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/Jo ... alves.html

[Bruce Dow]

Excellent.

Thanks for the advice and pictures.

This is not so intimidating, and will add a very nice touch to my next project.

[Freeman]

Two more quick pics, the bound neck



and the whole theme carried all the way thru

[LaurentB]

It always looks so classy, a bound fretboard. I may try that on my next build as well.

[Ken Hundley]

I bound a fretboard in koa....don't have any pictures, but it turnedout great. I sized and tapered the fretboard the way I wanted it, then glued the binding onto it. I ran it through the jointer a couple of times to get a perfectly flat back, then did my radius sanding with the binding on it. It worked out well. I did bring the sides in just about the width of the binding on each side. A little got sanded off, but it also got radiused down as it joined the neck. Looked great.

[Bruce Dow]

Thanks for all of the input on this.

Here is how it is looking... I'll be fretting this weekend... (now I understand the different meanings of that word!)

We'll see how it goes with the stopped slots. I have notched the frets, and will double check to make sure I have enough clearance in the slots and enough overhang.

[darren]

Nice! What are the materials?