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This will be my first attempt to make a fretboard and I'd like to bind it,
This is my understanding of the procedure
1 -Thickness sand to 1/4"
2 -cut fret slots
3- shape board not forgetting to deduct binding width
4- apply binding
5- radius top
When gluing the binding on how does a guy keep the glue out of
the slots, or do you clean out the glue with a special tool?
Thanks,
Peter

Peter buddy when I bind a fret board I use the brown Stew-Mac binding tape. There are many other ways to clamp the binding but if you use the tape method and take care to not place the tape over the fret slots clean-up is easy. Once the binding is all taped in place I use the end of an engineer's scale, I think that the handle side of a #11 X-acto blade would work too, and clean the glue out of the slots. It also helps to not be glue happy. I use Titebond for binding fret boards.

Gibson use to install the frets before the binding was glued on. This solves the problem of having to glue the fret ends to the binding. The binding was scraped back to the top of the fretboard and shaped around the fret ends. I think this was more of a factory thing, as it seems like it would take less time and effort to do it this way.

I'm sure that if you slipped some thin plastic shims into each of the fret slots before you glued the binding on this would keep the glue out, once dry you can remove the shims and voila! Clean slots.

Cal

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Peter, do you have an air compressor?

As Hesh said, ensure that your tape (if you do the tape method) does not overlap the fret slots, than blast the ends of the slots with compressed air while holding a rag or paper towel over top of the nozzle. Really quick and easy. If you think you haven't gotten all of the glue out by than, use a 6" ruler (engineers scale as Hesh calls it) to clear out the rest.

Thanks to Paul Woolson (we miss ya dude) for sharing the compressed air idea (He got it from Charles Fox)

I made a jig for doing this. It's just a piece of 3/4" baltic birch with a 1/2" thick (2.5" x 20") runner screwed down, than another runner clamped in place using the dry board and bindings to ensure I have the correct taper. Than I put down wax paper apply the glue and wedge the board and bindings in place. I use a small block to tap down along the length of the bindings to ensure the bottom is flat along the entire length. You know all is seated well when the binding is flush with the top of the board along the entire length. Assuming the binding height is the same as the board thickness. Once all is flush, I blast the ends of the slots with Air to blow out the squeeze out.

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If you are getting lots of glue in the slots .. you are using too much glue !!!! A thin even coating of glue on the binding is all thats needed .. I use boards and wedges to glue mine onto the FB, and overhang the binding on the bottom side, then clean it up flush with a scraper. This is important if you are adding a colour line between the FB and binding as I ususally do, mostly maple, but as canbe seen the on the mad rw and lutz, I used green in there. I do that part the same way. I also dont use mitre at the FB end, but simply overlap joints. Do the end first (I use CA here, as you are gluing to end grain ebony or rw), trim the piece ends flush with a chisel, then add the side pieces. Trim the overhang of these flush to the FB ends .. now add the binding the same way.

As for the Gibson method, some like it .. I think its a huge PITA to do, and then over time looks awful .. and I have never sen it done with wood binding, only plastic as it scrapes easier ... you would likley chip off the binding at the end of a lot of frets if it were wood. As well, look at any older Gibson with a bound FB .. the binding is cracked as is the finish at almost every fret because the frets push out and crack it as the FB shrinks in the dryer months, at least it does here where I live. Then refrettting .. oh man, you have to cut/file every fret to exact length or you get gaps at the binding. Takes twice as long to do the work .. hence more cost as well.

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You refret these Gibsons by cleaning/scraping the binding to the top of the fretboard, then cutting back the fret tang and fretting. No more work than if the fretboard was bound before fretting.

Cal

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Yes, correct Cal. ... that is how I would do it as well (otherwise I recommend others who will do it the other way, cause I dont) .. but then its not stock original in fretting method .. if you get a customer who wants it done the way it origianlly was, then you have a lot more work to do. Not everyone with an older Gibson wants those binding nibs sanded off when you explain what you will do otherwise. I am just saying ...

But if you are doing the building, why would you not just do it the bind before fretting way in the first place ??? I honestly think its better, and quicker.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Thanks guys
I've got it figured now
blowing the glue out is a great idea.
Thanks again,
Peter

IMO, the Gibson way of doing things is idiotic. It looks lousy, I don't like the feel, and you've got a narrower playing surface.

I thickness, radius, slot, taper, then glue the binding on with thick superglue, held in place by tape, and scrape it flush. Works great. Fretting is dead simple with a fret tang nipper, which I even use on non-bound fingerboards so I can fill the gaps at the ends with some glue and dust. If you're worried about glue in the slots, get some plastic stock (yogurt container lid, something like that) cut into pieces and insert into the slots before applying tape. I also have the StewMac slot cleaning tool, which takes care of any minimal glue.

Also, gluing down the nibs is pretty easy work. Tip from Evan Gluck was to simply apply superglue, and immediately wipe off the excess with an acetone soaked paper towel. Slick, clean result.