Official Luthiers Forum!

I've been meaning to through this out there. I'll be cutting another binding channel soon. I seem to consistently have the same problem. Say I'm using a .080 cutter and the same thickness of binding, it will be a nice flush fit with the sides at the lower bout, when the binding starts heading into the upper bout it becomes proud of the sides by .010 or so. It seems to happen consistently and I'm not sure why. I'm using a Fleishman type binding machine. I try to get the guitar on an average level. Maybe I need to raise the upper bout up a bit when cutting it?

Thanks for any help.

Cheers,
Danny

are you using a cradle with the machine ? Make sure you use the top as the reference . the sides are most perpendicular to the top. If you set the back level to the table top you will cause the cutter to be off parallel and this will cause what you are describing.

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Yes a cradle John. I'll try what you suggest. Thanks.

This just happens. It is because of the inreased angle of the back above the waist. Just make your depth adjustment at the butt and carry on.

I'll try paying more attention to the sides being vertical. In the past I have just gone with a level averaged over the whole body. I think it's usually more pronounced on the back. Logic would dictate that the depth would be the same all the way around.

Another trick is to use the edge of the router bit to fine tune the adjustment of the guitar in the cradle.
Bring the guitar up to the bit in all positions and make sure it is parallel to the sides. The head and tail blocks may not be perfectly parallel to each other and you may have to split the difference a little.

_________________
It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

Thanks Terence! I will most defiantly have a good look at that.