The Emeraldcaster Project (aka Son of Meloncaster)

[Buckocaster51]

So...let's finish the first cut around the top.



Now we will change bearings on the cutter and set it for the depth of the binding.



Gosh, that router looks like it has been rode hard and put up wet.

Let's make a sample cut in a place that nobody will ever see. (Like right on the top!) Then we can check to see how things fit.



I'm no Norm Abrahms (or Ed Hawley for that matter!) but it looks pretty good.

So we'll go the rest of the way around.



It winds up looking like this here.

If you have ever dealt with acoustic guitars with multiple bindings and purflings, you have had to do the same thing.

[Buckocaster51]

Before we take it into the house to glue that binding on, we'll knock off some of that fuzz with some sandpaper.



All ready to finish it up.

The next part is REALLY fun!



Maybe somebody can tell me why I get all of that fuzz. Low cutter speed? Dull cutter? Bad Kharma? Do I need to take a shower? Or is alder just a stringy wood?

[RnB]

Way cool Bucko! Doing binding's a gas. Nice descriptions w/ pics as you plow along w/ this one. Doesn't get much better than that! I've done a couple w/ binding now & find it a bit challenging...but well worth it.

Question: Why do you cut the purfling channel prior to cutting the binding channel? I have been doing it in reverse. Or, does it matter?

Rich

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by RnB

Question: Why do you cut the purfling channel prior to cutting the binding channel? I have been doing it in reverse. Or, does it matter?

Thank you.

I don't know if it matters...but the thinking was that I wanted the bearing to contact as much wood as possible. Had I cut the binding channel first, when I cut the purfling channel as least part of the bearing would have been floating in air.

Of course the real trick would be to have a special cutter made that could do the whole thing at once!

[TelecasterBlooz]

As usual Mr. Dikkers, this is one kick-@$$ thread! And thanks to your photos of Dave's, I FINALLY made the "pilgrammage". Why is it I'm gassing for one of your Tele's? Keep up the good work!

Kip

[Buckocaster51]

Going to Dave's can be expensive! Isn't it a hoot? Last time I was there, they had many, many Teles. The man has good taste.

[Buckocaster51]

We made sawdust this morning.

Now let's get some glue on our fingers!

This is what we have to glue in place. We'll keep the binding and purfling separate - we won't glue them together - until they go into place. It will be easier to go around the curves that way.



So let's put some cyanoacrylate glue in the channels. Most of this first layer will soak right in and go away. It acts sort of like a sealer. I suppose I could be using "gap-filling" glue that wouldn't do that as much, but this is what I had laying around.



Then we can put in our first piece of purfling. Being careful to center one of the white blocks on the centerseam. Could have been a black block. I just wanted one of the checks centered on the seam. Of course, once it is painted, that will be a moot point!



Then we can add some glue to the top of the purfling for the binding. Previously I had marke the center point of a piece of binding with a silver Sharpie. It can be embarassing to start off center and run out of binding before you get to the end! (I wonder how I know that?)

[Buckocaster51]

We'll put the binding in place and tape it down with some of that strapping tape.



When I say that I really lean into that tape, I am not kidding. You can see my pudgy little fingers straining!

Now we just work our way around toward the neck pocket.



Notice that the end of the piece of purfling in is sight? The binding is long enough that one piece will go around the top. Not so with the purfling. That is only about 20" long. We need to splice it together.

So I took some time to prep the next piece and cut some more tape.

Oh oh! When I came back, the stuff on the guitar had already stuck in place. Which of course is just what we want it to do. But this was the WRONG place!



Well, I haven't spent my life teaching HS science for nothing, and to top it off, I watch Mr. Wizard every Saturday when I was a kid. So I know that a little acetone will loosen those stuck pieces right up!



Funny how I just happened to have that handy.

[Buckocaster51]

We can add the next piece, being careful to get white next to black, and keep moving.



and we will keep going until we get close to the recurve. (Hey, I know some people call it the notch area...I call it the recurve.)



For now we'll leave this area unglued. We are going to have to set up some clamps to get the plastic to conform to this tight readius.

Sometimes I wonder if that sharp radius had something to do with the softening of the recurve and elimination of the "notch" back in the olden days. I know that goes against the CW...but maybe...just maybe...

But back to the Emeraldcaster...

We'll head the other from the bottom of the guitar and work our way up to the horn.



For right now, we will keep the glue well clear of this area. Taping the plastic down good and tight will start to train it where it needs to go.

Then we will just set everything aside to dry for a while.



In a bit we will take off the tape and finish off those two difficult areas.

As Arnold used to say, "I'll be back!"

[Buckocaster51]

So, what do you think?



Will they ever be clean?

Or am I making a subtle comment about today's Illinois vs Wisconsin foootbaaalllll game?

[Taipan]

Buckocaster51 - Really great tread you have going here ! Quick question for you. If you get the cyanoacrylate glue on the binding face or edge, say accidentally from your fingers how do you get it off?

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by Taipan

Quick question for you. If you get the cyanoacrylate glue on the binding face or edge, say accidentally from your fingers how do you get it off?

Thanks much.

The body and binding are going to go through some more sanding before this is over. That won't be a problem.

That is why, while some have done it, I just can't imagine putting binding on a guitar that is already finished.

Now, I must go back to the dungeon!

[Buckocaster51]

I got to the dungeon...took off the tape...and decided to work on the horn/cutaway.



This looks pretty ugly...and like it HAS to turn out a disaster...but really all that it takes is patience, strong fingers, and stronger tape.

Aahhhhemmmmm... (he clears his throat)

I just noticed something!

The purfling by the recurve DOESN'T HAVE ANY BLACK BETWEEN IT AND THE WOOD!



'Tis true!

Look down there!



Dagnabit!

In my concern about getting the checkerboards lined up right...I flipped the piece of purfling end-for-end...and put black substrate next to black binding.

ROOKIE MISTAKE!

[sean79]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

The body and binding are going to go through some more sanding before this is over.

Looking good. I was going to ask someone on here about sanding binding after it's on. Looks like you may be the man for the job...

1) Do you need to use a certain grit paper (fine v. course)?
2) Does the binding ever "melt" under a power sander?
3) Can you use a router to put a radius on it?

Can't wait to see the sparkle stuff. Now go wash your hands.

[Buckocaster51]

Well shoot! That is making a perfect weekend going downhill real fast.

Nothing to do...but take it off and try again.

Tried to loosen the glue up with acetone so I could reuse the material (you know, they don't give that purfling away!) but no use.

I took it back out to the garage and routed it off.

This is what I wound up with.



It's not nearly as bad as it looks.

Yeah...sure.

But we'll clean it up the best we can with some sharp knives...and then start putting it back together.



First the binding...then another piece of purfling...and before long...



Back to where we were an hour ago.

But this time there is black between the checkerboards and the wood.

Talk about chucklehead moves!

We'll have to show you how to dissolve binding in acetone to make a paste to fix "issues" soon.

If I'm as good as I think I am with this stuff...people that haven't read this thread will never know what happened.

Maybe.

[ehawley]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

I'm no Norm Abrahms (or Ed Hawley for that matter!) but it looks pretty good.

So we'll go the rest of the way around.

If you have ever dealt with acoustic guitars with multiple bindings and purflings, you have had to do the same thing.

Bucko! PLEASE!! I make everyday guitars! YOU SIR...are the BINDING MAN!! You make beautiful works of art! I always love your build threads! Keep on keepin' on!!
Cheers
ED

[BadHorsie]

This one is looking awsome Bucko!!!

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by sean79

1) Do you need to use a certain grit paper (fine v. course)?
2) Does the binding ever "melt" under a power sander?
3) Can you use a router to put a radius on it?

Thank you

A1 - I suppose you should. One of the last things you do before final finishing is to "scrape" the binding. That removes any scatches that there might be in it.

A2 - Yes. That is a clue that you have stayed too long in one place! Okay. To be serious, you develop a feel for how to move the sander.

A3 - Huh!? One of the beautiful things about binding is that there is virtually no radius. It really cuts into your arm! Really! I knock the sharp edge off with the scraper, but that is about it. 0.06" think binding is just too thing to round over.

I think Fuzzy did his Outlaw guitar with thicker binding that he did round over. Maybe he'll give us the details.

[Buckocaster51]

Pretty much done with the binding...mistakes and all...so let's wrap up the pictures.

We have to put some more purfling in place. Have you ever seen a pearl bound guitar? Ever wonder how they get that pearl to "bend" around the curvves? Well, sometimes it is cut to shape...but that is wasteful. More often the pearl is just broken to fit around the curves. Those curves are made up of short pieces of straight pearl...and you have never noticed!

We can do the same thing here. To help the checkerboard "bend" around the curves we can break the glue that is holding the checks together.

Sneaky...but it works.



Then we'll tape glue and tape it in place. We'll put some real muscle into that tape.



and we'll work our way down into the cutaway.

[sean79]

Q1) Do you need to use a certain grit paper (fine v. course)?

A1 - I suppose you should. One of the last things you do before final finishing is to "scrape" the binding. That removes any scratches that there might be in it.

So... I'm thinking that you'd use a pretty fine paper for the binding/finish sanding? Maybe 320 or 400?

Q3) Can you use a router to put a radius on it?

A3 - Huh!? One of the beautiful things about binding is that there is virtually no radius.

I know... I know... just thinking...

I've almost got my home building project done, and I've already told my lovely wife that I'm building another guitar when it's finished (I know; it's never finished). Now you've got me looking at binding and purfling and sparkles and tools... I've got about four guitar projects that I want to do now. I'm blaming you.

[Buckocaster51]

Back on the other side of the neck, we have that recurve to deal with.

My fingers are strong. But not that strong.

We are going to use a CLAMP and a clamping CAUL!

No ordinary clamp either. It is a 4 foot long pipe clamp.

No ordinary clamping caul either. It is a piece of WOODEN dowel! From a TREE!



The special thing about it is that it is the same diameter as the recurve.

We'll use that pipe clamp to crank it down into place.



Did I tell you that it is 4 feet long?



and a lot stronger than my fingers!

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by sean79

So... I'm thinking that you'd use a pretty fine paper for the binding/finish sanding? Maybe 320 or 400?



I know... I know... just thinking...

I've almost got my home building project done, and I've already told my lovely wife that I'm building another guitar when it's finished (I know; it's never finished). Now you've got me looking at binding and purfling and sparkles and tools... I've got about four guitar projects that I want to do now. I'm blaming you.

Yes. Fine paper. At least 400. The lacquer does a good job of making scratches go away, but it is better not to have them.

The Wives of Guitar Players of America, INC have probably issued a bulletin about me.

I have strong shoulders. I can handle them.

(Now I am going to use what I learned watching the "Citizen Kane of Civil Defense"..."Burt the Turtle"...and I am going to DUCK and COVER!)

[RichardWitt]

Buck! Can't wait to see the colour go on this one! Great binding by the way! Looks fantastic!

Question: You said you have hardware laying around for this one already. Do you buy multiple parts at a time for future projects (seeing that you build so many so quickly?) or did you buy the parts just recently knowing you were going to start this soon?

If you do buy in bulk, where from? Is there a place you are getting better prices by buying that way?

[Buckocaster51]

We have some "issues" with the binding. One is the seam under the neck. All bound Telecasters will have that one. We also have the seam on the top where I had to fix the "oops."



We'll start by scraping some binding slivers into a handy container and dissolve the slivers in a few drops of acetone.



Then, using our super deluxe mixing stick, we will apply the special goop to the problem areas.



the heel



and the seam on the side.

(You'll have to take my word for it...I know the pictures are just a BIT fuzzy. Autofocus got me!)

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by RichardWitt

If you do buy in bulk, where from? Is there a place you are getting better prices by buying that way?

I wish.

But I do try to order a bunch at a time to cut down on shipping costs. Shipping can eat you alive if you "buy as you need."

I should try a little harder to swing deals. A great businessman I am not.

[Buckocaster51]

Also going to drop some more CA glue (or is it "cement" ? ) in some gaps tonight.



It looks very rough right now...but they all do at this stage. I think it will sand/scrap down just fine.

You know, the fun part of this project is still in front of us!

I'm talking GREEN SPARKLES!

I think that may be it for tonight.

Thanks again for coming along for the ride!

[sean79]

Originally Posted by Buckocaster51

The Wives of Guitar Players of America, INC have probably issued a bulletin about me.

I have strong shoulders. I can handle them.

(Now I am going to use what I learned watching the "Citizen Kane of Civil Defense"..."Burt the Turtle"...and I am going to DUCK and COVER!)

You've never met my wife.

[Buckocaster51]

Somebody...but I'm not going to mention who...has too much time on his hands!

My Ovaltine just about came out of my nose!

[sean79]

Just waiting for some primer to dry between coats on the wainscoting...

Wash your hands yet?

[Buckocaster51]

The plan today is to get a coat of sealer sprayed on this bad boy.

Considering how I had "issues" with it last night, it doesn't look bad this morning.



Let's tidy up some loose ends.



Those cutters are useful...they can cut wire, guitar strings, fingernails, and binding. Good things. Almost as good as spray epoxy!

Let's put some 100 grit paper in the Black & Decker SuperSpeed Sander and attack the top.



and the back



You know, if we were doing a nice simple single ply binding on the front as well as the back, this would have been done days ago.

This checkerboard stuff is a time sink!

[Buckocaster51]

Here is the top after we are done with the 100 grit.



Now let's scrape the binding to get rid of the scanding marks.

First we'll try a razor blade...the old standby.



It works. But it is ponderously slow. (I know, it is strange hearing me say that...but sometimes I really do want to move along with my life.)

I think I saw a utility knife blade laying around here someplace. Let's give that a spin.



My! That makes the chips fly. Much more to my liking.

Here is what it looks like after the top has been scraped.



First thing I notice is that the sides must still be cleaned up.

Second thing is that there are some places that I was a little light with the glue last night. Can't have the binding flapping in the wind...

[Buckocaster51]

This stuff should work.



Here is the location of one of yesterday's issues.



Not bragging or anything...but in this light...

[BarnesTO]

As always....lookin' fantastic! I want one

[Buckocaster51]

Yessirreebob! Let's go out to the garage and see if we can make those sides look a bit better.

I think that today the tool of choice will be that utility knife blade.



It will make lots of shavings...real fast.



Some places are easier to work on than others.



All we are really doing is scraping the binding down so it is flush with the body. Some of the sealer is coming off as we do this...but what we wind up with is REALLY smooth.

Like I said...



some places are easier to work on than others.

I've been thinking...I know that is dangerous...but it sure seems to me...I don't keep good records...but it seems to me that when I bind a body it adds about half again as much to to the whole process. This checkerboard stuff is going to stretch that out...I am pretty sure that it will double the time that I spend on the body. By the time I get it painted...with the masking and scraping that will go along with it...I will easily have a full day in the checkerboards.

I will never again begrudge anybody for charging some serious money to do this. It is insane!

[Buckocaster51]

Here's what it looks like after the scraping.



I need to knock off the sharp corners, go over it one more time to get rid of as many of those little white lines as I can, and then spray it with some sealer.

It isn't perfect...but if I wanted perfect...I could have a machine do it.

I have NO idea how that one little white square got cattywhompus like that. But it is part of the charm.

[telex]

It looks beautiful, as usual Bucko.

Once again, you saved that binding like a real pro!

Who needs soft contours? Contours are for Stratocasters™!

I do like how that alder looks with the binding, but I am looking forward to the sparkle.

[Buckocaster51]

Originally Posted by telex

It looks beautiful, as usual Bucko.

Once again, you saved that binding like a real pro!

Who needs soft contours? Contours are for Stratocasters™!

I do like how that alder looks with the binding, but I am looking forward to the sparkle.

Save? Huh? What do you know that I don't know?



Someday I want to do a mahogany or ash body with pearl trim like a style 45 Martin. Just make that bad boy look like a pig. You know what I mean? I have yet to see a guitar that has TOO MUCH pearl. And I really can't think of having seen very much of it on Teles.

But I have a grarage full of work...and then some...to get down before I can even begin to think about that.

You know what I mean?

[Buckocaster51]

You know what I did yesterday?

I spent the day glueing on binding, that's what!

You know what I did today?

I scraped off much of that binding!

That's what!



One of the last things, before spraying on the last coat of sealer, is to knock the sharp edge off the binding. Here I am holding a scraper (aka utility knife blade) at a 45° angle. Going around the edge a couple of times with this will do what needs to be done.



Se what I mean about putting it on and scraping it off?

This will need to be cleaned up before I put on that sealer.

But first let's put the paintstick back on.



This won't be the last time it goes back on, but each time I attach it is one fewer time that it needs to go back on.

If you know what I mean!

[Buckocaster51]

I have had a can of DEFT Sanding/Sealer stashed away for this.



But before we spray it, we have to do a wipe down with one of those ubiquitous orange shop rags.



By the way...do not, I repeat, DO NOT use those rags to wipe down white binding until they have been washed many, many, many times.

I wonder how I know that?

You know what I mean?

[Buckocaster51]

Which gets us to here.



Have I told you lately how much I enjoy that mask I'm wearing? If you spray this crud, get, and use, one of them. Up until about a year ago I was a macho paint sprayer that wore nothing but a bandana over my mouth and nose. That's what a guy I learned to paint from 40 years ago did. Good enough for him. Spraying just a little lacquer would send me into coughing fits that could last hours. Not a problem with this thing. Better investment than my drill press was!

Do you know what I mean?

Here we are.



It is ready for the next step.

Whatever that is.

Actually, here's the plan...

I am going to let it sit for a day or so. Then I am going to try to put some glossy DEFT on the binding and purfling. Gonna try to put it on pretty heavy.

Then I plan on masking the binding/purfling. Got some real narrow 3M tape for that.

Then I'll hit it with a green undercoat of KRYLON.

Then, with the binding/purfling still masked off...or maybe remasked if there is a hefty KRYLON edge...I will use a PREVAL to put on the emerald sparkles in a DEFT mixture.

After I get it the way I want it, it will JUST be a matter of building up clear.

If you know what I mean!