Routing for binding

[gratay]

I'm just wondering when your routing the top for binding...
Do you rout the inner purfling first or do you rout the outer binding...
I'm thinking it would be easier to have a bit that did both at the same time but I only have a spiral bit so I have to do each separately..
If I do the outer first then there maybe nothing for the router base to ride on when doing the inner purfling ?
what does everyone else do?

Also , how does everyone hold the body securely while routing?
cheers Grant

[kiwigeo]

Hey there Grant,

Answers to your questions:

1. I route binding first and then I do the purfling. Havent really thought about the reasons but it works best for me. Im using a Williams style binding cutter jig that registers off the side of the guitar rather than the top. If youre using a normal router and LMI binding cutter with bearings that register off the top of the side then it might be best to cut purfling first and then binding. It depends exactly where the bearing on the cutter is registering on the side.

2. I either sit my guitar in my classical workboard or sit the body on the bench and use cam clamps on the bench to stop the body moving around laterally.

Cheers Martin

[Dominic]

As Martin says. Doing the purfling first would mean taking a pretty deep cut into the top in one go. Seems better to do it a bit at a time. So binding first then purfling.
The bearing kit i got has a spacer to lower the bearing down a bit so it clears the binding channel when doing the purfling.

I use the stew mac binding jig. Small and very accurate.
Dom

[Allen]

I use LMI's binding cutter and various sized bearings. I cut the binding channel first, then the purfling channel. Never really thought about doing it in the reverse order. This way made sense to me the first time around, so I stuck with it.

[Hesh1956]

I use a Williams jig with either the Stew-Mac bit or the LMI bit set.

The thing to know when using these bit sets is that with the Stew-mac set you have to cut the purfling channel first since there is not much of a spacer between the cutter and the bearing. If you don't the bearing will fall into the binding channel while attempting to cut the purfling channel.

With the LMI set this is not an issue - you can cut either channel first.

With either set I have cut the purfling and bindings channels to final height and depth in one pass - of course a separate pass for either channel. Just be sure to do the climb cuts first as per the diagram on Stew-Mac's site for their binding bit set.

[Allen]

That's a good point Hesh. I always take a piece of chalk and mark out the direction of cut and have a good look at the grain, making a chalk mark where I want to start and stop the cut. Anything that helps you not have to think of too many things at once with a high speed router in your hands.

[Dave Anderson]

I use the Ribbecki / LMI jig and cut the binding channel first with the LMI bit and bearing set.
The bearing rides below the binding channel when cutting the purf channel.

[gratay]

thanks guys....overwhelmingly in favour of binding channel first...
I have a sort of williams jig mockup so registering off the sides..A small area around the cutter on my router base sits on the edge of the top so I was just wondering what happens when you set up for purfling cut after cutting the binding channel and the edge of the top is no longer there.

Thats why I thought maybe some cut the purfling first so the edge of the top may still be there for the router base to ride on the edge when doing the binding ledge.. i imagine this would be fairly inaccurate way to do things though and also the possibility of chipping the top out by taking to much width in one go.
To the scrap pile to test out the router.
thanks all

[Allen]

The LMI binding cutter bit that I have has the bearing registering off the side fairly low, that is to say much lower than you would ever cut a binding channel, so it's not an issue.

[Hesh1956]

Here is a related trick that I learned from Mario.

Even though we are talking about routing binding channels it's very important when routing your binding and purfling channels that your sides have been trued up first - I use a sanding block and curved stick for the waist.

Prior to truing up your sides place your guitar in your binding channel jig or use what ever method that you use and with climb cuts first followed by completely circling the guitar eliminate the plate over hang first with a flush cut bit and then cut a very shallow binding channel with the binding bit.

This first cut takes the plates beyond flush and also takes them out of play when you go to step two which is sanding the sides with the block to true them up. Not having to deal with the end grain on the plates makes truing up the sides much easier.

Then, after truing up the sides, go after your purfling and binding channels as usual. Since you already partially cut the binding channels it's less risky in terms of tear-out because you are not hoarking off as much wood with the router at one time.

[Kim]

Great tip Hesh, thanks for sharing.

Cheers

Kim

[gratay]

good tip hesh, thanks

[kiwigeo]

Prior to truing up your sides place your guitar in your binding channel jig or use what ever method that you use and with climb cuts first followed by completely circling the guitar eliminate the plate over hang first with a flush cut bit and then cut a very shallow binding channel with the binding bit.

This is something John Mayes does on his DVD set.