Gluing side purfling to binding?

[Shane Woonton]

Hi guys,

How do you glue side purfling to binding? Particularly interested in how you clamp it effectively, keeping everything straight without gluing clamps, cauls etc all in place. I have done it once before with only limited success.

I'm assuming it is best to glue them together prior to bending, then scrape/sand flat, then bend?

Cheers,

Shane

[Clancy]

I'm assuming it is best to glue them together prior to bending, then scrape/sand flat, then bend?

To put it simply - Yep.

There's been a number of threads discussing which glues to use.
Search them out...but in summary it's whatever works best for you.

[demonx]

I believe he's asking how to clamp - not what sort of glue.

Most people use tape. Some others use rope or rubber straps.

I googled "gluing purfling" and heres plenty of pics that will demonstrate:

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=glui ... mAWEx4GoAg

[Shane Woonton]

Haha , I obviously wasn't clear enough.

Demonx you are right it is the clamping I'm trying to improve, but not to the body. I am looking for a simple and effective way to clamp purfling strips to binding strips prior to bending. I'm struggling to keep everything aligned and under even pressure during glue up when working with 30" strips that are only 1 - 2mm wide. I'm hoping someone has a simple idea for a jig? Or some way to do it using tape?

[kiwigeo]

I use either binding clamps from Blues Creek Guitars or just the common garden variety small spring clamps you get from Bunnings or any other hardware chain that caters for the masses.

Photo shows Blues Creek Guitars binding clamps being used. I bought a bunch of these a few years ago but have found them a bit lacking in clamping strength. They can be beefed up by slipping on an extra surgical rubber ring but even then I find spring clamps do a better job for gluing binding on a guitar. For gluing purfs to binding they do the job fine.

[kiwigeo]

Haha , I obviously wasn't clear enough.

Demonx you are right it is the clamping I'm trying to improve, but not to the body. I am looking for a simple and effective way to clamp purfling strips to binding strips prior to bending. I'm struggling to keep everything aligned and under even pressure during glue up when working with 30" strips that are only 1 - 2mm wide. I'm hoping someone has a simple idea for a jig? Or some way to do it using tape?

I lay binding and purfs on a laminated MDF sheet. I make the bindings over width and scrape them to final thickness once glue is dry. I route a channel in a piece of MDF to depth that matches final thickness of bindings. I sit the binding in the channel and run a scraper over the top.....

[vandenboom]

Hope this is what you are looking for.... Sorry I can't show pics to illustrate this, but here is my (pretty common) approach.
Assume I want about 10 strips of binding 900mm long x 6mm deep x 2mm wide with BWB (0.6mm each) purfling - enough for 2 guitars and some extra in case of breakage
- prep binding hardwood block 900 long x 6mm deep x 50 to 60 mm wide. Use thickness sander to get 6mm depth and ensure all surfaces flat
- cut 3 B/W/W veneer sheets a bit bigger than the hardwood to allow for a bit of movement
- titebond on one surface of hardwood (use credit card to apply & spread evenly)
- do the same to one black veneer and the white veneer. Need to work quickly as they start to curl up due to moisture on 1 surface.
- have a piece of oversize wax paper on bench top, lay down the B/W/B and finally hardwood on top. Line it all up as best you can. Have a caul that will cover the strip of hardwood and clamp it all down, working to keep things reasonably well aligned as you tighten clamps. It doesn't matter if things down line up perfectly, it's easiest if the veneers are generously oversized and are always proud of the hardwood.
- leave it clamped for a day. Once dry, use a sharp knife to trim off all overhanging veneer
- I use a fine saw blade on table saw to cut 2.5mm strips. I guess you could use band saw with suitable blade. Then sand down to 2mm on thickness sander.

You can use much the same process to make purflings alone. Once glued up, I use a fret slotting blade to cut them on the table saw.
Other threads have discussed the merits of various glues. I have never had a problem with titebond when bending on a pipe or in heat blanket on a mould.
Frank

[Allen]

I use HHG to glue them on to the bindings.

I use a granite slab with another one laid on top that forms one of the clamping cauls as well as a straight edge. They stay nice and cool, even in the tropics. Thus help with the quick set of HHG.

Apply glue to the binding lay it on the granite slab and place the purling up against it. Now I use a piece of perspex to push the purfling up against the binding with another to rub the binding down so it ends up flush on the bottom side (in case there is any variation in thickness).

Sometimes I will need to clamp the perspex against the the purfling/binding combo for 10 minutes or so, but many times the HHG will grab quick enough that I can lift them off and set aside to dry.

It sounds more complicated than it really is.

[Shane Woonton]

Frank, thank you for the ideas. Unfortunately I build in a spare room and have no "workshop" to speak of, therefore no table saw or drum sander, so I'm limited to buying finished binding strips for the time being.

Allen and Martin, some good ideas there. I will adjust my approach and see how I go on the next build.

Cheers,

Shane

[rocket]

I may be a bit backward in my approach to binding installation judging by the apparent norm of most in here, i've never tried gluing the purfling to the binding prior to installation on the instrument, always considered that it would make it too hard to bend around tight curves as in cutaways, so i glue the purfing into it's rebate first and then glue the binding, never tried any other way , but this works for me!!
Cheers,,

Rod

[Allen]

Actually, I've done it that way as well. Few dots of CA here and there and it did the trick as well.

I've also done it with loose black / white / black on both the bottom and side as well as binding and glued the entire octopus in one go with HHG. That worked as well, but damn that was a lot of sticky fingers and swearing to want to try it again.

[Paul B]

Masking tape. Easy as.

[rocket]

You're a legend Alen!!
Rod.

[Shane Woonton]

Masking tape. Easy as.

Please explain?