Progress on Guitar #3

[Eric Knapp]

Finally! I had a really hard time with the binding on guitar 3. I used gramils and did the binding channels by hand for guitars 1 and 2 but ran into some serious roadblocks on #3. It was a tale of two steps forward and three steps backward many times. I think this issue was this guitar has pretty thick laminated sides. That threw everything I'd done before off enough that I couldn't get good channels.

I finally gave up on the gramils and made this router jig.

I know I could have just bought one but I didn't want to spend that much money and not know for sure it would work. This shop built jig worked really well, surprisingly well.

Here's the result after the first coat of sealer/pour filler.

The back and sides are walnut and the top is Sitka. The binding is Katalox and is two layers and about 4mm thick. I had to use 2 layers as the channel ended up too deep for one. That made this an even bigger challenge. With purfling on top and bottom of the binding I had to have a 3 step channel. Fun!

I like the result though and I'm on to finishing.

-Eric

[Dick Hutchings]

Well done. You guitar looks beautiful in spite of non matching back and sides. That's good info. As for the binding tower, I'm hoping to purchase one but I may build one also. Looks like it worked well for you. Seems like installing perfect binding is the one thing that separates the beginner like myself and the pros. I've yet to achieve this and need to bite the bullet and up my game.

[Eric Knapp]

Well done.

Thank you!

You guitar looks beautiful in spite of non matching back and sides.

Just for the record, the back and sides came from the same walnut board. They match very well in person. I resawed the parts myself and wanted to try doing laminated sides. The outer layer is that walnut. The middle layer is basswood. The inner layer is mahogany which had some cracks in it and couldn't be used for show.

That's good info. As for the binding tower, I'm hoping to purchase one but I may build one also. Looks like it worked well for you. Seems like installing perfect binding is the one thing that separates the beginner like myself and the pros. I've yet to achieve this and need to bite the bullet and up my game.

Indeed, the bindings are a challenge. I'm a beginner too on guitar number 3 and this I'm almost proud enough to show it to people.

-Eric

[Karl Wicklund]

Again, Eric, really nice work! I hope to see it in person.

[Eric Knapp]

Again, Eric, really nice work! I hope to see it in person.

Thank you, Karl. You're always welcome.

-Eric

[Allyson Brown]

Finally! I had a really hard time with the binding on guitar 3. I used gramils and did the binding channels by hand for guitars 1 and 2 but ran into some serious roadblocks on #3. It was a tale of two steps forward and three steps backward many times. I think this issue was this guitar has pretty thick laminated sides. That threw everything I'd done before off enough that I couldn't get good channels.

I finally gave up on the gramils and made this router jig.

binding-machine-1.jpeg



I know I could have just bought one but I didn't want to spend that much money and not know for sure it would work. This shop built jig worked really well, surprisingly well.

binding-machine-4.jpeg



Here's the result after the first coat of sealer/pour filler.

first-coat - 1.jpeg

first-coat - 4.jpeg

first-coat - 5.jpeg

The back and sides are walnut and the top is Sitka. The binding is Katalox and is two layers and about 4mm thick. I had to use 2 layers as the channel ended up too deep for one. That made this an even bigger challenge. With purfling on top and bottom of the binding I had to have a 3 step channel. Fun!

I like the result though and I'm on to finishing.

-Eric

Sleek and sexy.

[Glenn Howland]

Eric, I'm curious as to how much downweight you have on the router jig. I can't tell if you have the cable on a crank or a counterweight. I bought a jig that looks to be pretty good (patterned after the Stew Mac design, more or less) but as it is, the entire weight of the router (Bosch Colt) would press on the top surface of the guitar. I don't know if that is good or bad, but I'd feel more comfortable if there was a little give in it. I haven't yet used the jig. What has been your experience with this issue?

[Eric Knapp]

Eric, I'm curious as to how much downweight you have on the router jig. I can't tell if you have the cable on a crank or a counterweight. I bought a jig that looks to be pretty good (patterned after the Stew Mac design, more or less) but as it is, the entire weight of the router (Bosch Colt) would press on the top surface of the guitar. I don't know if that is good or bad, but I'd feel more comfortable if there was a little give in it. I haven't yet used the jig. What has been your experience with this issue?

There is a counter weight on a pulley system, it's a 5 lb. weight. I weighed the router's pressure on the top and it's about 3 pounds. I got it down to 1 pound for a while but that just wasn't enough. 3 pounds seems good.

-Eric

[Carl Dickinson]

I've got a tower that I made from 8020 aluminum parts w/their linear slides. The weight of the router is the only thing holding it down on the guitar edge and that works fine for me. A way to lift the router carriage to set the donut on the guitar edge would be a useful addition though.