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Hi, I am starting a scratch guitar build, have done a kit and two ukeleles from scratch. Expect to have a few questions along the way as this will be a bit more challenging.

Is a bench top power planer an acceptable method to get top and back from rough cut down to a bit over 1/8th?

Is it better to profile sides to a template and then bend then, or bend the full size side blanks and then profile them in the mold?

What is the best method to attach a side purfling to the bottom side of the binding before bending the bindings?

Thank you. Pete

I have a benchtop planer. I've found that how thin you can go, depends a lot on the wood. You can go fairly thin if you take off small amounts at a time. Some woods will want to warp as they get thinner, so you have to watch for that.

Having said that, I have successfully thinned wood to ~ 1/8" by using double sided tape, and taping the wood securely to a solid, stable 3/4" thick piece of MDF or Baltic birch plywood. I use Duck carpet Tape: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BO4QZ0/re ... xEbWASMNDH

Profile your sides to your template or plan prior to bending.

You can glue purfling to wood using a waterproof glue, like Titebond III, prior to bending. I install side purfling on almost all of my guitars. I have actually switched to pvc purfling that's 64" long, and I install it separately, as a single unit, around the guitar. Sometimes I cut it to outline the sides around the end wedge. I've found it to be very versatile, so I don't glue purfling to the bindings anymore. I get the extra long purfling from LMII.

Click on the photos to enlarge them.

What Diane said

I have never bothered gluing side purfling onto the binding, rather just installed it all at the same time as the rest - I have had no problems with using 4, 5 and even 6 piece binding/purflings. I have used Duco successfully but find that it is pretty messy, but easy cleanup. For the last 3 I have taped it all in place to my liking, then used thin CA that runs under and behind everything. It was harder to clean up until I learned to use a minimum of tape and not glue where the tape is until the areas between the tape have been glued, then remove the tape and glue those areas. Don't forget to wipe on a coat or two of shellac in the channels so that CA glue (if you chose to use it) does not yellow the top as it runs into the grain - rosettes too.

Here is a sequence showing my latest scheme - scroll left and right and text below

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruby1638/ ... 488198220/

And a couple of other shots below. Good luck

Ed

since you mention messes, someone mentioned these squeeze bottles in a recent thread. I was able to fill and store Duco and CA in these neatly. They dispense a whole lot neater than the squeeze tube and forget about those stewmac CA bottles, they are impossible and I hate the pippets too!

I am pretty happy w/ these.

30 Pack, 10ml, Multi Color Caps Needle Bottle Dropper Bottle eliquid Bottle Liquid Bottle Squeeze Bottle Steel Needle TIP Dropper Bottles
https://www.amazon.com/Needle-Dropper-e ... 617&sr=8-1

Great thanks that all very helpful. Full disclosure I already planed the top/back in the planer :) probably should have asked first, but ran it through a very light cut and it seemed to be going well, the rosewood and blackwood planed really nicely, I got a bit of tearout on the spruce, so a bit of remedial work needed, I think it will mostly be cut out as part of the sound hole and rosette and the rest should sand out.

Will profile the sides. Will re-check my purfling scheme and use one of your suggested options. Also thanks for the earlier post on spending 1-2 hours cleaning up the binding channels, I have been doing this but will put a bit more time into it a and see how it goes.

One other...watching a few vids I saw suggestions that the tail graft channel should be cut all the way through the sides and down to the block. I have previously just inset it 1/16 or so. Is there a structural benefit to gluing the graft to the block?

Thanks again.

I think I was the source of the squeeze bottle recommendation for Duco cement. Another notion just came into my head (plenty of unused space in there) about using one of these squeeze bottles (filled with whatever finishing material is being used) for drop filling. Haven't done it but I can't see why it wouldn't be convenient and mess-free.

PSmill wrote:Great thanks that all very helpful. Full disclosure I already planed the top/back in the planer :) probably should have asked first, but ran it through a very light cut and it seemed to be going well, the rosewood and blackwood planed really nicely, I got a bit of tearout on the spruce, so a bit of remedial work needed, I think it will mostly be cut out as part of the sound hole and rosette and the rest should sand out.

Will profile the sides. Will re-check my purfling scheme and use one of your suggested options. Also thanks for the earlier post on spending 1-2 hours cleaning up the binding channels, I have been doing this but will put a bit more time into it a and see how it goes.

One other...watching a few vids I saw suggestions that the tail graft channel should be cut all the way through the sides and down to the block. I have previously just inset it 1/16 or so. Is there a structural benefit to gluing the graft to the block?

Thanks again.

I'll save you some searching and recommend that you make a dado, ~ 3/4" wide and 1/8" deep, which you would inlay into your tailblock. This dado inlay will face outward, so that your sides are glued to it. The purpose is to mitigate catastrophic breakage, should you drop your guitar on end. I'm here to tell you...it works! I've put photos in for you.

As far as the end graft is concerned, I usually make it about as thick as the sides, which is a bit thicker than 1/16". But 1/16" is fine.

Excellent thank you!

I just notice the tape holding stick, good idea :)

Question on gluing rosewood and dealing with removing the oil to ensure a good blue bond...I understand if the centre joint on the back is freshly jointed that is sufficient, or give it a wipe with denatured alcohol. What about for gluing braces, backstrip, and centre strip? Is it ok to just give them a wipe with alcohol, let air dry for a few minutes and the glue as normal?

Thanks.