How to fix my peghead binding "senior moment"

[crooksj]

Only after scraping my peghead bindings did I realize that one piece was "inside out". At first I thought I would just leave it...but now its been bugging me and I think I should replace it. My question is how to remove that piece only. I've removed larger pieces by heating and prying off, but it looks hard to remove just that small piece. My concern is that I will make it worse and end up having to remove the adjacent pieces. It seems the inside miter can't be correct with a replacement piece. Binding is celluloid and miters were "acetoned". This mandolin will be a gift to someone who won't know the difference, but I would like to know how one would treat this on a spec build. Thanks....

[bernabe]

Cut the piece out with a knife or small sharp chisel starting with a cut through the miters on each end. Then replace with a new correct fitted piece by welding the miters with acetone or a glue-like mixture of melted binding material into acetone.

[Mandoplumb]

I had to look at it 3times before I saw what you were saying. I'm not a builder nor do I play one on TV so maybe a builder would notice but I've looked at and played many many mandolins and am pretty anal about things I think is wrong. Just thought I'd say most people wouldn't notice, I know you notice.

[Timbofood]

I'd treat this one like a "Navajo rug", if the rest is as near perfect as this looks, you might be the only one to notice.
Or, start doing all of your binding that way and have it be a signature.

[Rick Lindstrom]

Doubtful that anyone will notice unless you point it out.

[sunburst]

It will be noticed. Miss anything, leave one thing undone, anywhere, make one small mistake near the end of the building process and decide to leave it to save time and someone will notice it! There is never anything that "no one will ever notice", and there it is right there on the fancy, curly peghead.
Especially if it bothers you, just go ahead and fix it. Now's the time, it's easier now than after the mandolin is finished, so don't set yourself up to have it bother you so much in the finished mandolin that you have to fix it and repair the finish.
I'd probably start with a razor saw to cut the corners along the miter lines, erring into the binding that will be removed. You can't cut all the way through with the saw because of the angle, but that will give you a boundary for what to remove and what to leave. Then use sharp knives and small tools to do whatever it takes to get the offending piece out and replace it. (The miter lines can be cleaned up with a sharp chisel following the saw.)
When it comes time to replace the piece and get the black line to match up in the corners, a little "smoke and mirrors" might be needed, but it can be done!

[Dale Ludewig]

+1 on what John said. I've been in the same position in the past. Best to fix it now. Otherwise it will eat at you and wake you up in the night. The only thing I could add is that with the miter on the very top- it might be helpful to pull that loose a little while you're doing the replacement. A little wiggle room. Then you can squeeze it all back together when you glue it in.

[crooksj]

Thanks for all the good advice. I went ahead and replaced it, so now I'll be able to sleep tonight...now if only I knew how to "smoke and mirrors" the black line on the inside miter...

[HoGo]

Thanks for all the good advice. I went ahead and replaced it, so now I'll be able to sleep tonight...now if only I knew how to "smoke and mirrors" the black line on the inside miter...

Not hard at all. Get pointy tool like exacto knife and cut (or gently scrape with the tip) a shallow groove where the black should be. Make sure the edges of the groove are sharp and crisp (not that hard in plastics) then fill with black CA, or you can use black celluloid in acetone but that may leak into the white. I've had good results with drop of thin CA applied to material of choice (in this case piece of black celluloid) and with a tip of tiny chisel scraping in the drop of glue create paste and apply into the place before the glue starts to set. Much less chance to bleed into the white tahn straight acetone and celluloid.

[Timbofood]

Probably the best way to go, now you will be able to sleep soundly! I suppose in the scope of a build, that's a pretty small glitch and, now you will never do that again!