DB's binding jig

[Crusader]

ah ok DB that should look cool Crusader

Yes I am hoping so.. It will be different anyway.

[Gavin1393]

However, I will make up a set of proper height adjustable feet.... One day

I have a template......

[Muzza]

I made something similar to remove the binding on my second build.
I had a few design problems, but all were overcome. More details in my build diary

[kimball492]

Great idea Muzza

[dingobass]

Good idea re drawer track for height adjustment. (File that one away for future reference)
The Ally angle is a nice touch, much neater.

As for the router floating on the top, not such a good idea for a few reasons.

1. The binding channel will mirror any undulations in the top, and magnify them. This can leave you with a wobbly binding line.
It would also be very difficult to rout an arch top instrument evenly.
2. Would be very easy to accidentally have the trimmer drop off the edge. I can see the plenum crashing down and damaging the binding rout...
3. It is a good idea to be able to see down through the plenum and watch what the router bit is doing. Gives you a better chance to stop if a chunk of tree starts coming away from the edge of the rout.. This can happen.

All you need to have touching the guitar is the guide bearing. Hence the need to lock the trimmer in place (easy mod).
Then by using a sliding board with adjustable clamps to hold the body level and secure, you simply run the body around the router bit.
This will always give a perfect result, regardless of instrument type, size and style of binding.

So, quick modification to lock the trimmer and lose the nylon washer and that will be a very handy routing jig.

Nice to have the time to think through designs, mine was built on the spot to do a job.. Think it took me less than an hour to design and build it.
But hey, it does the job required so for now it will do..

[stan]

In the end Muzza, if it is working for you, then it works, enjoy the process mate

[dingobass]

To point out the problem of wobbly and inaccurate binding channels cut by having the router rest on the top, I have taken a few pics to make it easy to see where I am coming from.

I have used a LP body for this example.

First pic shows the channel correctly cut as denoted by the blue tape.
You will see that the bottom edge of the binding is parallel to the back edge.

Black penline shows approx where the bottom of the binding would run if the router ran over the top.
As you can see, it is out by a country mile and would look very ordinary indeed..

Next up is a pic of a true arch top Guitar. As you can see the arch is present on front and back.
The only secure way to mount this type of body is with adjustable clamps.

The same would apply to an Acoustic Guitar, as the back is not flat on these either.

This is why you wont see a floating type of binding jig in too many Professional Luthiers workshops.
I have spoken to some of my collegues, and they all agree with me on this one.
Binding router jigs should be height lockable and not run on the body for very good reasons.

[wokkaboy]

DB that blue tape line at the top isn't parallel with the top, the black penline is.

So with the pic of the almost finished LP the binding is thicker in this section, are they supposed to be like that ? I always assumed the binding was parallel with the top the whole way around.

Looks like you are saying the binding is parallel with the bottom of the body ?

[dingobass]

Yes Wokka. The blue tape is meant to be parallel with the bottom edge as it should be.
Black line denotes munted binding channel......
The reason you want the binding parallel with the bottom or back edge of the guitar is simply because it looks better and it is much easier to install.

[wokkaboy]

wow ok DB, I never knew that ! Will have to check my chinese LP copy !

so that means you have to use binding about 4-5mm thicker for the whole job so it fits the wider sections ? Then just trim it with a sharp knife and sand ?