Acoustic Guitar #9: Purflings and Bindings

It’s nice having a Mrs around sometimes to tell us to chill out.
Other times, not so much.
Good call this time although.

The purfling part has always baffled me. “How the heck do they do that?” It seems like bending before laminating makes a bunch of sense. Looks good from here.

Steve

-- -- I'm no rocket surgeon

anyone that even tries to build a guitar impresses me. I look at it as something beyond woodworking.

-- There is nothing like the sound of a well tuned hand plane. - http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com (timetestedtools at hotmail dot c0m)

Stewart: I’ve used the old inner tube trick before. I’ve used car tubes and truck tubes that I got from a tire repair shop. Where they replaced some blown out tubes. (why they kept the old ones, baffle me).

Nice job with the bicycle tubes.

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

WOW!

You sure used up a lot of bicycle tubes… what happened to the bicycles?! LOL

FANTASTIC work! Just awesome!

-- Have Fun! Joe Lyddon - Alta Loma, CA USA - Home: http://www.WoodworkStuff.net ... My Small Gallery: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?ppuser=1389&cat=500"

I can still smell the rubber on my hands even after a shower and several hand-scrubs!

Joe – When I last pedalled into town I suffered a rear wheel blow-out; invested in new tyres and tubes, and [Karson] kept the old tubes ‘just in case’.

Steve yes, I’ll retain that flaw and, in the Muslim tradition (I think) tell folks that it’s deliberate as only The Almighty can attain perfection.

Don – Did you get out on the motor cycle this year? Our Honda ST1100 has hardly turned a wheel.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

I’ll bet I didn’t put 300 miles on it. Its a shame, between work, travel and other things, there just wasn’t time left.

-- There is nothing like the sound of a well tuned hand plane. - http://timetestedtools.wordpress.com (timetestedtools at hotmail dot c0m)

It’s no easier in so-called retirement Don. There was a time we found opportunities for extended trips into mainland Europe. This year, I rode it for its annual service & very little else. Must try harder in 2013!

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

Not sure how many guitars you plan on making Stewart so it might not be a worthwhile investment, but you can buy a device for a trim router that automatically adjusts for the varying arches in the top and back. I remembered reading about this gadget a few years ago when you mentioned your issue. It is made by LMI (Luthier’s Music Supplies) and is called the Ribbecke Binding Machine. Not sure if it is still available.

Knowing you, you’ll probably fashion something better from an old tin can anyway :o)

P.S. Here’s a decent article about Binding and Purfling Tips.

-- Andy -- Old Chinese proverb say: If you think something can't be done, don't interrupt man who is doing it.

Cool build, Stewart. I’m doing one myself and haven’t decided yet how I will approach it. I kinda like this method, however…

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/bindingmachine.html

Looking forward to more!

-- jay, www.allaboutastro.com

Thanks Jay and Andy. I’ve had a good look at both of those approaches and I’m sure I can knock up my version of either one or t’other should I decide to make more (which is highly likely). I do have at least two rather nice sets of soundboards, backs and sides to use up! I can’t quite make out what the Kenneth Michael shuttle is all about yet.

Having said that, the bindings I did on the front of the guitar turned out much better than the back after I Stiffened up the rig I was using, by jamming a piece of wood between the wobbly bits!

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

Make you want to #$#$#^%^&^*&^ Stew.
I am sure you will end up with the perfect result.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

Great progress Stewart. Looks good to me. I cant even see the mistake your talking about.

-- Mauricio - Woodstock, GA - "Confusion is the Womb of Learning, with utter conviction being it's Tomb" Prof. T.O. Nitsch

phenomenal!

-- Roger from KY. Work/Play/Travel Safe. Kentuk55@bellsouth.net