Binding a new mando

[Kent Barnes]

OK, I'm about ready to start staining Harlan #2, but after spending the past 2 night scraping the binding, I have a question.
1. When you route the binding channel, do you install the binding to where it is slightly BELOW the side wood, so you have to sand the wood back slightly to make it flush with the binding?
2.Or do you make the binding stick out a bit so it has to be scraped flush with the wood?

I used method #2, and I had to be careful in a couple of spots to make sure I didn't scrape too much!
I'd like to get some input on this before I tackle #3.
Thanks

[Chris Baird]

I route the channel just a couple .000"s deeper than the binding so I sand the wood back ever so slightly. This leaves the binding exactly the same thinckness all around. I intentionally factor in all the side thickness reduction when I thickness my sides. .090" is a good starting place for me and after all bumps etc. is sanded away end up being around .075-.080".

[sunburst]

I try to start with the binding slightly proud and cut it level with the wood.
In reality, I usually end up with a little of both, sanding or scraping the wood in a few places, cutting down the binding in most places.

[Jim Hilburn]

Since I always have a black line on the face ,I don't want to loose any of the outside binding, but I don't want to have to remove a lot of wood, either, so trying to get it in there perfect is the answer. I've been through the Dremel attachments, the Stew-Mac bearing-bit,and the adjustable fence with router bit, and have settled with the LMI carbide bit and bearing set, but it's not just right either. For .090" binding, I think the ideal depth of cut is .095". Stew-Mac's cutter was .112", they said for the glue and the swelling. Well, my binding has never swelled that much, and it left way too much wood to be sanded flush. LMI's set has a bearing that gives you .090", and if your diligent about fitting your binding, that will work, but it's difficult to get pressure at the bottom portion so as to keep it tight in the channel. Now your getting into the "how tall is the binding" aspect.If you leave your binding much taller than the rabbet, then when you clamp it (I use tape) you can actually be pulling the bottom away from the channel because of the cantelever effect of the tape pulling the binding against the top of the channel. So as close to the actual height as you can get is best.
Back to the LMI cutters, I've settled on using their bearing that gives you .100", only with a wrap of heavy cellophane tape on the bearing to get it to about .095"
Another thing I do is scrape away the inside corner of the binding so the only contact surfaces are the bottom and the sides. Another thing I do is put every other piece of tape on opposite the last so that some are pressing down more while the others are pulling the top in tight.

[Chris Baird]

Along the lines of binding I was wondering how others have found to best heat the binding for bending tight curves(buttons, scrolls, headstocks etc.) I've tried all sorts of ways and still have a tough time getting it just right. If the temp isn't just right it gets all kinky and ya know.. I've been using a heating light and counting for ideal pliability but I still end up throwing away 2 or 3 pieces before I get it right. Any tips?

[sunburst]

I use a heat gun...careful with that thing, it can set celluloid on fire in the blink of an eye, and bend the binding around various mandrels so that the binding is more or less preshaped to fit.
I need more work on my forms or mandrels so that I can get a better initial fit. I want a better way to hold the end of the binding so that I can heat the binding and wrap it around, heating as I go right where it needs to bend. As the part that's already bent cools it stays in place so that further bending doesn't distort what I've already bent.
I don't find a perfect fit to be necessary, but the closer it is the easier it is to get a good binding job, so I'll keep refining things.

[amowry]

I'm a relative beginner, but I've found some things that work for me. For routing, I've been using a custom guide on the router table, a la Lynn Dudenbostel. It seems to work as well as bearing cutters, and it makes the depth infinitely adjustable. I've been finding that by taking plenty of time to test on scrap I can get the depth pretty much right on, so I just have to sand a little binding and a little wood here and there. For bending the tight curves, I make little wooden forms, stick one end of the binding in a notch in the form, dip it in boiling water or heat with a gun, and slowly bend around the form. The water seems to be a little more forgiving, because the heat is more uniform, but the gun is much quicker and probably more energy efficient. Once the binding is held in place with wedges, I sometimes hit it VERY briefly with the heat gun to "set" the curves, first covering all open glue joints with insulative material so I don't get them hot. This might not be kosher, so beware. There are photos of the router table setup and the bending forms on my website (link below).

[sunburst]

Once the binding is held in place with wedges, I sometimes hit it VERY briefly with the heat gun to "set" the curves
I glue my celluloid bindings in with duco, and I find that I'm able to slightly "adjust" the fit with a heat gun even after they are glued in. If there is a slight gap, I can heat it, mash it closed with a finger, let it cool and put a glob of duco over it. When the glue dries it usually looks fine.
There are lots of binding tricks.

[Kent Barnes]

OK, I looked at the bit/bearing on LMI's website. Now another question. I am currently using a 1/4" downcut spiral router bit, with a "guide" like what Dudenbostel uses. How do you "guide" the mandolin body to keep consistent channel depth, especially around the scroll?

[amowry]

The wooden guide that I use (and I believe it's similar to Lynn) is adjustable for both width and depth, so the only issue should be holding the mando parallel with the router table. I use a couple of spool clamps that hold the edge at the right height, and I move them when necessary. When I go around the scroll, I hold the body freehand and just eyeball it to keep the bottom edge of the scroll parallel to the table (which means tilting the body to the side). It works reasonably well, although I usually have to clean up a little here and there with a chisel. It's difficult to go too deep, so if I take a few additional passes after it initially seems like I'm done, it tends to fix any errors where I wasn't holding it perfectly level to begin with.

[TNMANDO]

Here is my set up. Kinda a combo between the set up Dude uses for height and using a bearing for depth of cut. I cut some spool clamps from the same stock that I used to make the router rest for the edge bing cut to hold the body perpendicular to the cutting surface.

[TNMANDO]

Sorry the pic didn't load.

[Jim Hilburn]

I do exactly the same thing...only different.
I've never used the levelers, just let it ride on the center of the arch.

[Bill Snyder]

For anyone interested Stew Mac has a primer on their website on binding.stewmac.com/bindings (http://www.stewmac.com/bindings)