Fretboard binding

[Happy gnome]

I'm afraid this may be a foolish question, but I've spent some time now searching for information and still can't figure this out.

When binding a fretboard, do the frets or binding go on first?

I picked up a cheapo Regal Reverse Scroll off ebay as a 'repair practice' instrument. The fretboard was busted off and missing several pieces, so I'd like to try replacing it, but can't get my head around the order of procedures for the binding.

[vhughes2000]

You can do it both ways..but it's easier to install the frets first and then bind..The alternative is to bind and then fret but you need a special set of nippers to undercut the fret tang ends so they sit overtop of the binding..much harder and more tedious to do.

[buckhorn]

it's been easier for me to fret , then bind....after the frets are installed , the board will bow out and must be held flat while binding is glued up......seems best to have binding and board slightly wider then the neck and then scrape to the exact thickness...good luck with to project................keith

[John Arnold]

you need a special set of nippers to undercut the fret tang ends so they sit overtop of the binding..much harder and more tedious to do.

The special nippers make it a bit faster, but I would not call it tedious. Before I sprang for the special tool, I would cut out the tang with my fret-pulling end nippers (two cuts), then finish with a file. It takes maybe 20 seconds per fret.
Gibson has always fretted first, but it does reduce the width of the fret when compared to fretting over the bindings. Gibson also allowed the binding to cover the ends of the fret crowns, meaning that the binding had to be installed proud, then scraped or filed down between the frets...to leave the 'nibs'. This adds work that is not required if you do it the other way.

[Jim Hilburn]

Before I got the nippers I used my jewelers saw.

[Tavy]

Before I got the nippers I used my jewelers saw.

Dremel with a cut-off disk works as well - I use the dremel to cut the fret wire to length, then to remove the tang from each end - takes seconds per fret. Just watch your fingers as the frets get hot!

[Happy gnome]

Thanks everyone, this has been helpful.

John, you raised a concern that had been niggling at the back of my mind - namely that if I fretted first the fret width would be painfully short, at least at the nut end of the fretboard. Using the fret pulling tool to undercut the wire seems a good idea, and will hopefully allow me to maintain the widest possible fret width with the tools at hand.

Thanks again.

[John Morton]

I had an epiphany about fretboard binding, namely that what I really like is a white stripe along the edge. It doesn't bother me that the fret ends show. So what I do now is to cut a slit along each edge with a .020" slitting saw and fill it with a white cellulose strip. A bound fingerboard just makes for more work when refretting.

[pfox14]

I always bind first, then fret using tang nippers so the frets overlap the binding. I don't know how you can have the frets overlap without putting the binding on first.