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Binding tape repair... which glue?
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10123&t=53886
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Author:  Digelectric [ Sat Jan 23, 2021 11:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Binding tape repair... which glue?

I have a Danelectro electric that has binding tape which is separating from the body. I want to glue it back on like this person did on this blog (below). I’m not sure what glue to use that will not impact the finish. Any suggestions?

https://crawlsbackward.blogspot.com/201 ... mment-form

Author:  Freeman [ Sun Jan 24, 2021 1:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Binding tape repair... which glue?

I use water thin CA to repair binding that has separated from the body. Binding shrinks with age and pulls away inside curved areas like hors and waists. I build a padded caul and apply a little heat (very carefully), then gently stretch the binding back to fit. Tape it carefully in place leaving little gaps between pieces of tape. I put a tiny drop of the thin CA on the seam between the binding and wood at each gap - it will wick into the seam and if you are careful almost none will be left on the surface. The drops of CA kind of "tack weld" the binding back in place, I pull the tape and run a very small bead of CA right on the seam using a pipette - again, if you are careful almost none will be left on the outside. You can scrape back the little bit on the outside and shoot some lacquer if necessary.

Author:  Digelectric [ Sun Jan 24, 2021 2:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Binding tape repair... which glue?

Freeman wrote:
I use water thin CA to repair binding that has separated from the body. Binding shrinks with age and pulls away inside curved areas like hors and waists. I build a padded caul and apply a little heat (very carefully), then gently stretch the binding back to fit. Tape it carefully in place leaving little gaps between pieces of tape. I put a tiny drop of the thin CA on the seam between the binding and wood at each gap - it will wick into the seam and if you are careful almost none will be left on the surface. The drops of CA kind of "tack weld" the binding back in place, I pull the tape and run a very small bead of CA right on the seam using a pipette - again, if you are careful almost none will be left on the outside. You can scrape back the little bit on the outside and shoot some lacquer if necessary.


Thanks for the reply. In this case, however, the Danelectro binding isn’t “normal” binding on guitar body like you’re describing. The binding itself is actually tape and not true binding. The body is a VERY heavily painted thin wood (semi hollow body) that almost feels like plastic.

Since the tape needs to stick directly to the finish, and not plastic to wood or wood to wood, I wasn’t sure if traditional glue used for binding was a good idea. Maybe it’s fine, though. That said, if there is any squeeze out between the tape and body while the glue sets, I couldn’t really scrape it back without damaging the finish on the body or destroying the tape (binding) because the glue will probably tend to pull the tape off with it.

Perhaps the answer is to be extremely careful to not add too much and wipe it away when it’s still wet. But when applying pressure for the glue up, it may tend to squeeze some out where I can’t see it until it’s dried.

Thanks for any further thoughts

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