Fretboard binding? How do you do it?

ppk · #1 12-22-2008, 04:53 PM

I have always loved the look of fretboard binding. i would like to do mine with some sort of contrasting wood. but i am not exactly sure how to go about doint this. Do i route a slot in the sides of the fretboard then glue a peice in or do i make the fretboard narrower than needed and glue strips to the sides.

im just not sure how to approach this.

Thanks, Paul

vbasscustom · #2 12-22-2008, 05:11 PM

i plan to do it as well, i taper my fretboards first, then gule them on, so i plan to taper it smaller than needed with a router, im not sure what the technical name for the particular bit is, but you can put a bearing on it and it will cut slots into the edge of the wood. i will taper as usual but smaller, then glue the binding on so it is the right width, im not sure if this is the best way but its how i plan on doing it

ewimsatt · #3 12-22-2008, 05:54 PM

I go ahead and glue the fingerboard on the neck, but dont fret or radius it. Then I use the router with a bearing that is smaller then the bit by the width I want the binding to be. Run that along the neck to route the channel. Then glue in the binding and level. You want to do it before you radius the fingerboard so you dont cut in the wood to far along the bottom of the channel due to the radius angle. You can also use this to put on binding that is thicker than your fingerboard.

Mikey R · #4 12-22-2008, 06:03 PM

found it!

4-String scroll CM#1 for Chris.gotfunk

erikbojerik · #5 12-23-2008, 08:30 AM

Yep that's the link - just substitute your favorite wood for the binding.

SGD Lutherie · #6 12-23-2008, 08:53 AM

I bind the fretboard before it's glued to the neck. I always taper my fretboard first anyway. Then I use a router with a pattern bit to shape the neck to the fretboard.

I bound one of my fingerboards with rosewood binding. Most have plastic binding though. The rosewood had to be bent with a bending iron first.

You can also glue the fingerboard to the neck and taper it, and leave it flat, then use a router to rout the shelf for the binding.

ppk · #7 12-25-2008, 02:54 PM

Alright i think im going to go with the routering method before i glue cause i still need to slot it. its gonna be a marblewood fretboard with a padouk binding. im just hopin the colors dont bleed. now all i gotta do is get a cutter.

Thanks much, Paul

SGD Lutherie · #8 12-25-2008, 05:17 PM

If you calculate the size of the fingerboard minus the binding, and the binding is full hight, then you don't have to rout for a binding channel.

Just make it the right size and glue the binding on after you slot.

jordan_frerichs · #9 01-02-2009, 10:00 PM

i would think you just make the taper straight, and then glue the binding, before its glued to the neck

erikbojerik · #10 01-03-2009, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jordan_frerichs

i would think you just make the taper straight, and then glue the binding, before its glued to the neck

That's what I did - first find the centerline, then cut the taper minus the width of the binding, then slot, then glue on the offcuts, then cut the taper to final size. This assures that the binding is a constant width all the way down the neck (it would look really awkward if this wasn't the case).

Then, like David, I use the fretboard as a template for the final neck width.