Is This A Faulty Binding? Stain Seeped Into Cracks
Hello!
So post-staining, I've found that the stain has seeped into fractures within the binding. Is this because of an incorrect/damaging installation of the binding?
The photos show the worst offenders, but this is pretty much around the whole binding.
Should I contact Pit Bull about this?
Any advice would be appreciated.
I don’t know if companies like Gibson use a different type, but all the Chinese kits (not just those via Pit Bull) use a binding that cracks on the surface where it’s bent. The smaller the radius of the bend, the more cracks.
If it’s a water-based stain, then scraping the binding will hopefully remove all the marks as they generally sit on the surface. A model kit sprue remover is actually very good for this, though you can make your own scraper from a bit of slotted broom handle, a craft knife/box cutter blade and a nut and bolt.
If it’s a spirit/alcohol-based stain, then this penetrates a lot further due to its lower surface tension. You can try scraping and you might be lucky, but you’ll probably still see it in the cracks as you can’t scrape too much.
You could try rubbing it with an Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) solution. 70% with water. 100% IPA can attack the binding and make it sticky. But the IPA is going to remove stain from the wood. So mask the wood and be as frugal as you can.
I simply scraped the binding clean on my first build, an ES-3, but I used a water based stain. I ended up painting the binding on my first ES-1 build as I’d used a spirit-based stain.
The best thing is obviously not to get stain on the binding in the first place. It’s why the basic and more comprehensive kit instructions
suggest you start a build diary, as forum members can tell you things like this. Masking tape helps, but you still get seepage at the edges. Putting clear coat on the binding first creates a good barrier and even if the clear coat stains, you can scrape the clear off. Others have used a rubber/based masking liquid. Some may have used wax (though I’m not 100% sure on that).
FWIW I don't think that Gibson stains. I think, judging by the factory tour vids, that they spray on a translucent paint, and then scrape to remove it from the binding.
They often use a combined grain filler/stain IIRC. Being far thicker than a liquid stain, this is going to be less prone to running into any cracks. It’s applied, goes on an hour-long conveyor ride around the ceiling level of the factory where it’s hot enough to dry it thoroughly without heat being specifically applied, and the excess filler is then removed.
Bit that’s probably for the back, sides and neck of mahogany-bodied guitars rather than maple tops. Certainly using tinted lacquer is a lot easier and less risky than staining if you’ve got binding.
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