Working with Bloodwood

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Diane Kauffmds
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Working with Bloodwood

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

I'm thinking of using bloodwood binding on my project guitar. I've read that bloodwood will bleed onto other woods when sanded and finished. How do you go about binding a guitar with bloodwood when you have a spruce top? Would sanding sealer help?

I figure scraping the binding rather than sanding, then using a shop vac to remove the access would be helpful, but what about finishing? I'm going to french polish the project guitar.

How do you work with this wood?

Thanks
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
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tippie53
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Re: Working with Bloodwood

Post by tippie53 »

I have used bloodwood a few times. Avoid duco , the acetone in it will cause the bleeding.
usual wood glues like tite bond will be fine.
John Hall
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B. Howard
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Re: Working with Bloodwood

Post by B. Howard »

You will need to carefully wipe about 3-4 seal coats of shellac on just the bindings before you start grain filling or polishing.
You never know what you are capable of until you actually try....

Brian Howard
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Diane Kauffmds
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Re: Working with Bloodwood

Post by Diane Kauffmds »

Thank you
Diane Kauffmann
Country Roads Guitars
countryroadsguitars@gmail.com
Kevin Sjostrand
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Re: Working with Bloodwood

Post by Kevin Sjostrand »

I have used bloodwood bindings on two guitars with spruce tops. I've not had any issue with red bleeding, or even sanding dust being a problem. The spruce is closed grain and the dust shouldn't cause you any trouble. I usually have a light coat of shellac around the top perimeter which will help you if you are concerned about it. Also, when dealing with the binding after it is installed, scrape it down instead of sanding it and you will eliminate most of the red sanding dust anyway.
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