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What is the prefered method for putting a consistant radius on the corner of wood binding ?

sandpaper here.

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I use a scraper, followed by sand paper.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Tri-folded 120 grit followed up with tri-folded 240 grit.

Pine I don't know if you are working on an early guitar or not but I thought that I would through a tip out here and hopefully someone can use it.

When sanding/scraping the radius on your bindings attach the neck first for a second and make a mark on each side of the fret board extension where it leaves the neck and sits on the guitar top. Next put some low tack tape up to your marks. This way when radiusing the bindings you won't radius under the fret board extension which would result in an unsightly gap.

I have used several methods from hand sanding, scraping to using a 1/16"R round over bit

Small scraper/needle file (primary, then secondary bevels) followed by sandpaper.

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Dave
Milton, ON

I use a 1/8" roundover bit in my binding jig.

I think this is what I was looking to confirm. Though hand sanding is an option...the key word in my question was "consistant" radius. I believe the roundover bit would give me the consistancy I'm lookin for. Thanks for all the responses.

Binding is typically only (.09 raw-.07 flushed to the sides) wide. So you are rounding over into your purfling and top or are you setting the roundover bit shallow and only routing a segment of the full radius?

example of what I mean


My point is a 1/16" roundover will give a full raduis and leave zero flat to a very fine flat on the binding. an 1/8" roundover you either cut the radius into the purfling and top or you set the bit shallow and cut less than a full radius.


A word of caution in case a newbie does not know. You must stop any radius short of the intersection either side the fretboard with the binding or you will have a gap that will need filled and look bad when you attach the neck

If you are talking about "breaking" a corner, why use a round over bit. You're only looking for a 1/32-1/16" max round over. That takes about 2 mins to do the top and 2 mins to do the back. Unless you have a dedicated router with the bit in it, it will take as much time just to set up the round over bit and to a test cut as it would to use sand paper for the top and back. Most times you won't be taking a perfect radius with a round over bit and will have to smooth it out with paper anyway especially if you're using a 1/8" round over bit as Michael shows in his picture.

Consistency with paper for a 1/32-1/16" break of the corner is pretty easy to achieve, But to each there own.

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