Re-gluing Martin Binding

[ArmstrongLutherie]

Here's one for those of you who are into repairs and anyone who is familiar with how Martin glue on bindings - particularly more recent models. I get quite a few of guitars - especially Martins both recent and old - that have the bindings coming off. The one I have at present seems to have barely any glue used to glue the bindings on originally. I'm wondering if they just use just acetone. Anyway the challenge is to re-glue them and what glue to use.

In photos you'll see that this is a Martin DCME dreadnought with cut-away. Mahogany B&S with satin finish. The top binding has come away in a couple of places at c/a and also at waist on the bass side. The back binding is off almost completely from the c/a all the way around the treble side and lower bout to the waist on the bass side. The short strip along side of the c/a is completely off. I'm almost inclined to remove all of it but this is a commercial job and needs to be fixed as economically as possible. I have tried Weld-on glue but it is difficult to apply, makes a horrible mess and I don't want mess up the satin finish or the smooth surface of the bindings. I have also used titebond and fish glue in the past and got good results - especially fish glue which is so easy to clean up but I don't think they provide a long lasting fix. And another problem is that often this binding shrinks which is why it pulls away at the waist initially. So that means heat to get it to stretch or cut it and make a filler.




Would appreciate any thoughts/ideas.

Andrew

[simso]

How I do it

http://www.mirwa.com.au/HTS_Reglue_Loose_Binding.html

Steve

[simso]

As a side note, I do warranty work for Martin with these binding issues.

Yours being black binding on a clean satin top should come up pretty good just with glue work, The hardest part of the repair on guitars like the hd28’s and the d35’s etc is the finish work, having the lacquer seamlessly go back over the binding with no voids present, and look original takes weeks for the nitro to dry, let alone the buffing work to make it like glass again.

Steve

[ArmstrongLutherie]

Thanks Simso. Apologies for the long delay in replying to your great response - I got distracted and ended up doing it much like you show but I used CA glue.

[simso]

CA works on some of them, not all, glad it all worked out.

Steve