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I very carefully (or so I thought) routed out the binding channel on my OM last night. I use John Hall's very nice binding jig, which I like very much. I was careful to cut the channels in the appropriate direction so as not to chip out chunks of the top or back along grain lines, and was successful except for one "little" area where the router bit caught the top, climbed out of the channel and dug a trench in the top, inside of the binding..... .

sorry, I don't have the heart to photograph it, but I think the description is probably sufficient...

If I make this a herringbone, I'll be alright, but I'm pissed. Have you experienced this? It happened when I was sliding the soundbox to provide better access to the router. It occurs to me that if I mounted (or clamped) the "sled" jig to the table and went all the way around the soundbox with the router, this probably wouldn't happen. I guess I havent' done that because I wondered if a little bit of play in the arm of the jig that holds the router would cause the channel to be a bit off-true.....

Thanks.

Sorry about the mishap. I don't have any advice about the routing set-up as I have not used a jig like this.

Where is the unwanted trench? It must not be too bad if herringbone will cover it. I had a similar mishap recently that happened to be on the "horn" of a cutaway top. I was about to do a big wide purfling when it occured tome that I could just gut out that small portion of top aling a grain line and fit in a section from top cutout then just re-rout the rabets there. I'm probably the only one who will ever notice (and only when I go looking).

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

It's easy to speculate on which of several problems may have occurred to cause your mishap. My recommendation is to take a photo of your setup and the problem then email John Hall. I suspect he'll be able to help you right away.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

It's kind of hard to get the gist of what happened without seeing it but I think probably every one of us has screwed up binding at least once or twice in the past. I have fixed many a screw up by just inlaying a piece of wood with the same grain lines. It's not terribly hard to do. I think the master builders are the ones who make fewer mistakes but also are the ones who know how to hide their mistakes the best

Sounds to me as though you may have a dull bit or you are biting off more than the tool can chew or you just had an inattentive moment. IT happens.

sounds like you lifted it over the guitar not away. Always move the side away from the router or the router away from the side. Never pick it up that donut won't allow a run across the top unless you lift the router. I know you will never make that mistake again.
You must learn from others mistakes as you can't make them all yourself . It is good that you share this so others may learn from your experience. Remember that this kind of mishap is an opportunity for design enhancement

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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

Thanks John - yes, that sounds about right - (and who says I can't make all the mistakes myself....I'm certainly trying... )

This is why I still prefer using hand held purfling cutter and a chisel. Yeah it takes longer but I like working with hand tools. It's relaxing to me. Now in a mass production setting it is slow. But I don't have to worry about that.

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Another day, another dollar.