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Well, I don't do video so you'll have to suffer through with my photo's a text instead.

This is the way that I install bindings and purflings. I leave my side purfling loose and install them along with the binding and top purflings. You’ll get the picture in a minute (no pun intended).

So, you have your channels cut and you’re ready to start.
I should add, if you're going to use CA to glue everything in..

MAKE SURE AND SEAL THE CHANNELS REALLY WELL WITH SHELLAC FIRST!

The CA can wick into the end grain of spruce or cedar and discolor it.



Next make sure you’re purfling lines are mitred at the end graft.



Now take your side purflling (which was sandwiched and bent with your bindings) and tape it at the waist area.



Now run it in the channel to the tail wedge (you can put a couple more pieces of tape along it if it would make you happy )

Mark the location of the mitre joint on the purfling.



Pull the tape off and cut your mitre on the purfling.

Now I use a small scale (ruler for those non engineer types) to hold down the purfling at the mitre and I put a drop of CA to ‘tack’ it in place (think welding when we say tack)



Now the side purfling line should be bang on for your mitre and will certainly work its way around the perimeter fine.

Now, do the same thing with the binding. Tape it at the waist and run it along the channel (on top of the side purfling) to the tail wedge. Mark the center line (using the center of the top) on the binding and cut it.



Now you can start wrangling the top purfling together and butt them at the center line along with the binding. This can be tricky depending on how many purfling lines you have.



Once you have these all lined up on center (I like to take a block and butt all of the pieces together, use tape to help you if needed), I like to make sure my purfling lines are all pushed down, so with one hand holding the pieces in place, I use that small ruler to push each purflling line (and the shell inlay on this one) down so it bottoms out on the channel. Next I add a drop of CA right at the edge of the pieces (sort of on the channel and not on top of the purflings). This is where you can sometimes glue your finger to things if you use too much glue. Using a pipette works great for this (I’ve run out though) as you can really just add a drop.

When this initial assembly is ‘tacked’ in place, you can let go and start taping the rest along the channel, wrangling all the purfling lines as you go. Just make sure the side purfling is under the binding and pushed in as you go. It’s really not to difficult, just takes patience (gee, just like most other aspects of building guitars ). What I do is wrangle all of the pieces in their proper place and tape them somewhat loosely further up the channel. Then as I get close to this loose tape job, I tape further up the channel again, wrangling the pieces together.



This shows the loose tape as I approach it with the binding tape.



Eventually you’ll work your way to the top of the body





Now at this point, I have not added any glue (you can all along the way if you wish). Now I can double check my tape job and make sure there are no gaps (another reason I like the clear tape for binding). If I find any, I usually pull the tape beside the gap and use a doubled piece of tape and really pull it tight. This usually gets it nice and snug, no clamps required.

Once you’re satisfied that there are no gaps (or such small ones that they will fill easily with CA) you can start to drop in the CA glue. Again using a pipette for this is preferable as it really does control the amount of glue you apply. Just work along the edges ‘wicking’ thin CA into seams (don’t worry, it will find its way between the smallest lines).



I like to leave the tape on overnight, but after 10 mins or so, you can easily start on the other top edge, repeating the steps.

When it’s all done and you’ve left it sit (ensure your glue is cured) pull the tape off and start scraping.

Cheers

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Thanks for posting. I haven't done purfling yet, but was hoping to do it on my next guitar...It's always been intimidating just because I didn't really know where to start, but I think I may have the confidence to do it now....By the way I like the rosette.

Very nice toot Rod!
Do you have to go back and CA the places where the tape was? Or does it wick in enough there already?

Thanks,
Joe

Rod,

This is great! The photos really do tell the story. I have been using white glue - but am now seeing the advantages of wicking CA into the binding/purfling that has already been taped into place. I will give this a try.

By the way - I'm already experienced at gluing myself to my guitar - so I've got that part down.

Of course I have some questions:

0) Have you tried a spray shellac - or do you just use a brush?

1) Do you find that the CA wicks under your tape completely - or do you have to go back and touch things up after you remove the tape?

2) This is a little off topic - but how do you make (route) the offset for the mitred corners on the end graft (which I like calling the butt wedge)? I'm going to be using a Ribbeke-type binding jig but am wondering how you accounted for that change of depth on your cut.

3) I have a florentine cutaway on a guitar I'm building - and am wondering how you go about joining the binding/purfling at the tip of the cutaway?

Thanks again - THIS is why OLF is so great!!!

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P A U L B U R N E R
Burner Guitars

Actually, I just use a piece of rag or paper towel to flood the channel with shellac.



I find that about 1/2 the time, the CA wicks in under the tape locations, so a bit of touch up is required.



I can't remember where I saw this but here's what I do. Take a piece of the side purfling, just as long as the width of the wedge. So on the top edge, it's wider right. Now just tack that piece right on the top plate. Set the height of your cut to the full depth of the binding and purfling, when you get to the tail, the binding cutter will ride up on the piece tacked on the top (or back) and will lift the cutter the correct amount to allow for the mitre at the tail wedge. Just pop it off with a chisel when done cutting. Do the same thing on the back.



Honestly, this just takes lots of practice to get it right. I don't have an good secretes for this steps, just a lot of patiences and willingness to redo it if it doesn't turn out right

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Excellent post, thanks Rod!
CA for sure on my next build - I find the setup time for white glue is too short to make much of a difference once I get the rubber bands on (gaps) - also too much rush to cut the miters...

Looks good Rod, thanks for the pictures and text. I will try the CA method on the next binding job.

I will second the pipettes for using CA, I rinse them out with a little debonder and squirt the leftover in a another container so I don't contaminate the fresh debonder. You can use the used stuff a few times. Another trick for applying small drops of CA is to put a small puddle of glue on some wax paper and lift small drops with the end of a sewing needle with the end of the eye ground open. The size of the needle eye controls the size of the drops.

Fred

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Great tips on the pipette's and cleaning them Fred, also on the needle applicator.

And here's the final result (cause we all like to see pictures)



At the tail end (I still need lots of practice to get these purflings tight)



And at the waist, nice and tight



Thanks for looking.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

For anyone who can get access tp it nitro methane is a great debonder, when I was into competition with gas model airplanes, I used to mix my own fuel and had some nitro left an had heard it worked well. It the needles are stored in a bottle with debonder after use they are always clean and ready to go.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
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Great tute Rod.I like the idea of using clear tape.Where`d you get the tape your using,it looks extra strong? Also how is it for tearing fibers?
James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

James, I get the tape from Home Depot. Just your basic straping tape. I find that you can pull the tape pretty hard before the sharp edge of the binding starts to cut the fibres. If I need more 'pull' I just double up the tape in that spot.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Nice tut Rod.

Thanks for the tutorial Rod! Nice pictures and very clear instructions. I will try this on my first build.

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

Forgot to ask, will CA yellow plastic bindings?

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Formerly known as Adaboy.......

Thanks Darryl,

I don't know if CA will yellow plastic bindings, I've never used plastic bindings before. I have used ABS purfling lines with CA and had no issues. I doubt it will as I seem to recall Taylor guitars uses CA to install their bindings which are mostly plastic.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Do you concern yourself with getting Shellac on top or sides when sealing your Chanel? I would think a little coverage near the chanel would be a good idea.
Kent

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Kent, I use shellac as a sealer on the entire body before spraying lacquer so I have no issues with it.

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson