page 10
When the tape’s removed, the binding will be slightly taller
than the routed channel. Use a sharp scraper to flush the
binding to the wood. Be careful not to dig into the top or
back as you scrape
(17)
.
The router bit will cut slightly deeper than the actual thick-
ness of the binding — perhaps by as much .007" — so don’t
be surprised if the binding’s not quite flush to the sides
(18)
.
The extra depth makes up for any slight unevenness that
may result from hand-held routing.
Scrape the wood to meet the binding all around the sides
(19)
. Combine scraping with sanding, using a backing block
and 150-grit Fre-Cut® sandpaper. Try to sand only the wood,
not the binding, since 150-grit sandpaper will leave scratch-
es. When close to being flush, switch to 220-grit Fre-Cut®
sandpaper, and sand the sides, back, and top smooth. The
top and back are made from high quality plywood, and other
than cleaning up marks that you make with tools, the ply-
wood requires very little finish sanding.
Before final sanding, use a flat block and 100-grit Fre-Cut®
sandpaper to flatten only the area of the sides at the neck
block where the flat “cheeks” of the neck heel will mate with
the sides
(20)
. (Think of the end of the neck heel, where it
meets the guitar sides, as having two surfaces called “cheeks”
— a treble cheek and a bass cheek — i.e. a cheek on each
side of the mounting bolts that are on the centerline.) Clean
up any coarse sanding marks with 220-grit.
17.
Use a sharp scraper to flush the binding to the wood.
18.
The router bit will cut slightly deeper than the actual thickness
of the binding — perhaps by as much .007".
19.
Scrape the wood to meet the binding all around the sides.
20.
Use a flat block and 80- or 100-grit Fre-Cut®sandpaper to flat-
ten only the area of the sides at the neck block where it mates with
the flat cheeks of the neck.
