at http://www.flatpick.com/podcast.html
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Saturday, April 30, 2011
Podcast #34, featuring an interview with Joe McColley.
In this edition of the Flatpicking Guitar Magazine podcast Dan Miller is speaking with Joe McColley, a talented flatpicker from San Antonio, Texas. Joe recently released a very nice CD of flatpicking guitar tunes called Flatpicking Classics and recorded the majority of the tunes in duo with either Adam Wright or Mark Cosgrove, who are both former National Flatpicking Guitar Champions. Dan talks with Joe about his preparation for and recording of this project and then you'll hear a cut from the recording. Please visit this podcast
at http://www.flatpick.com/podcast.html
at http://www.flatpick.com/podcast.html
Finished: Runecaster, J�rmungandr, and Mj�llnir
The guitar build, the final entry...
What a blast of a project... Challenging, fun, and a real test of skill. It does make me appreciate just how good some of the craftsmen are out there that build some of these amazing "homemade" guitars. I can honestly say there will be more, I don't know how I will ever resist the pull again. My wife has other plans for me for the near future, unfortunately...
Runecaster:
Casting runes (small stone tablets with Nordic Runes engraved upon them) is an old Norse way of divining the paths one can take and see the eventual outcome. It's not fortune-telling, at least not in the sense most are used to... They were more to help you choose which way you should go. It might not have hurt me to cast a few to see where I was going...
I started with a plan to build two guitars, and ended up with three. Originally, I was going to build a test neck out of some rather standard maple I picked up that was dirt cheap... It was a good idea... The "test" neck turned out well enough that I couldn't see not using it - so I quickly routed out a new body out of some alder, and this is what I ended up with:
It has an alder body, Gotoh vintage tuners (my favorite), and a Fender Original Vintage Telecaster Pickup set. The neck pickup is mounted to the body (not the pickguard) to facilitate using the truss rod, which is a vintage variety truss rod, adjusted at the heel of the neck.
I decided to go with a pretty standard Telecaster approach with the addition of some body contouring...
I like the contouring, though it might be against the grain of some purists. Really, I wanted to try it out on this one before moving on to the Strat.
The finish is lacquer - I was shooting for a butterscotch color, though because the wood was alder, the wood grain really didn't show through well (most Telecasters that you can are made from lightweight ash...), so I went solid color. That and it was tough to get the color I wanted.
The first round looked too white - the next was so very yellow.. In the end, the magic mix used transtint honey amber with a little brown mahogany over what was basically a white base coat.
The upside to this - you know when you go to the guitar store and you play a whole bunch of different guitars but there's that one you keep going back to? Of the three I made - this is that guitar.
Now, I won't claim any great talent for playing, but here's a sample of this guitar. There are three entries in the following: the first is the bridge pickup, the second is both pickups, the third is the neck pickup. Forgive the player, he's just doing his best....
Runecaster:
It looks like you don't have Adobe Flash Player installed. Get it now.
If the player above doesn't load, here's a direct link to the file:
http://norsewoodsmith.com/files/images/casters/mp3/runecaster.mp3
I don't have the greatest recording equipment... Well, maybe the greatest you can have for <$100, so forgive the poor quality.
This is a fun guitar to play... of the three this is my favorite player.
Jörmungandr:
Jörmungandr is a sea serpent (a Viking dragon) in Norse mythology, one so large that he was able to encircle the earth and grab his own tail... When you see an ancient Norse carving that looks like a snake eating its own tail, it's likely that snake is Jörmungandr.
On this guitar, I wanted to try a few different things. First off, gold hardware, a sunburst finish, and double binding to dress it up.
It has a black walnut body with a curly maple cap; the neck is from a 60 year old maple board I have in my stash.
The tuners are vintage-style Gotoh's again, and the pickups are a Fender Vintage "Noiseless" Tele pickup set. The neck pickup is also mounted to the body (not the pickguard) to facilitate using the truss rod, which is also a vintage variety truss rod, adjusted at the heel of the neck.
The pickups have a bit more output than the single-coil Tele pickups on the Runecaster, though they still retain that vintage Tele sound.
I guess the "dressing up" must have worked some - this is the guitar everybody who has seen them likes most. I will admit - especially on the back, the walnut looks grand:
All of the wood in this guitar is from my own stash, mostly from the pile I've been saving for those "special" projects.
Here's a sound file of Jörmungandr in action - I tried to find some that seemed to fit the sound of the guitar best, unfortunately my playing isn't what I'd like it to be. Again, the first is on the bridge pickup, the next on both, and the third is the neck pickup alone.
Jörmungandr:
It looks like you don't have Adobe Flash Player installed. Get it now.
If the player above doesn't load, here's a direct link to the file:
http://norsewoodsmith.com/files/images/casters/mp3/jormungandr.mp3
This guitar probably taught me the most, what with the sunburst and the binding.
Mjöllnir:
Mjöllnir is the hammer of Thor; in some translations, it is an axe. It seemed an obvious choice for a name to me...
If you haven't guessed it already, it is basically a copy of David Gilmour's (of Pink Floyd fame) guitar. You can read all about the Black Strat on the David Gilmour Gear Guide on Gilmourish.com. Here's my version:
Fender also makes two versions David Gilmour Signature Stratocaster, a NOS (New Old Stock) version, and a "relic'd" version. You can see them here:
http://www.fender.com/features/gilmour/
There are two basic differences on mine - I haven't yet installed the shorter tremolo arm (though I will), and I didn't install the extra switch that can turn on both the neck pickup and the bridge pickup at the same time though I may at some point in the future. Truth be told, I have the switch - I just didn't have the patience to install it, I wanted to get the thing together and play it...
It has an alder body, the maple neck is from the same 60 year old maple as Jörmungandr. The neck and middle pickups are Fender Custom Shop 69' Strat® Pickups, which should approximately match the 1968 pickup in Gilmour's guitar. The bridge pickup is a Seymour Duncan SSL-5 over-wound pickup to match the pickup Mr. Duncan himself wound for Mr. Gilmour that was subsequently installed in the Black Strat.
The hardware after that is the standard Stratocaster appointments, including the vintage tuners (same as above).
The truss rod is adjusted at the head of the neck, different from the first two.
Being this is a tribute guitar, it seems only fitting I played something (attempted to, anyway) from whom it was that inspired it. Here's the two guitar solos from Comfortably Numb, from Pink Floyd's The Wall album.
Comfortably Numb 1st Solo on Mjöllnir:
It looks like you don't have Adobe Flash Player installed. Get it now.
If the player above doesn't load, here's a direct link to the file:
http://norsewoodsmith.com/files/images/casters/mp3/Comfortably_Numb-1st_Solo.mp3
Comfortably Numb 2nd Solo on Mjöllnir:
It looks like you don't have Adobe Flash Player installed. Get it now.
If the player above doesn't load, here's a direct link to the file:
http://norsewoodsmith.com/files/images/casters/mp3/Comfortably_Numb-2nd_Solo.mp3
Keep in mind I don't have much of recording studio - all of the recordings above were piped directly through my Vox VT-30 amp (no pedals or effects other than what's in the amp) into the computer using an M-Audio Fast-Track interface and recorded using the Pro-Tools M-Powered Essential recording software that came with it. The backing track for Comfortably Numb is courtesy Gilmourish.com.
In any case, I learned a lot with these, and am hoping to apply what I did to a future project soon.
Thanks for reading!
Leif
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The Best Of - Show 1 - with Gary and Stephen
Join your hosts R. Gary Patterson and Stephen Wren as they discuss the "best of" in several areas of pop culture, media, and music. Their favorite guitarists, vampire movies, ghost stories, and more are discussed in this episode.
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Inside MusiCast - Episode 38 (Kirk Whalum)
For a young boy growing up in Memphis,Tennessee, exposure to Gospel, soul, jazz, and R&B music was inevitable. The difference for Kirk Whalum was that his baptismal into this music happened at the church where his father pastored. Surrounded by a family that was comprised of several professional musicians, Kirk didnt have to find music...music found him. But, it was the sparkle and shine that first attracted him to his first saxophone. It was jazz great Bob James that first discovered Kirk playing at a gig in Houston, Texas where shortly thereafter, hired him to play one of his solo albums entitled '12.' Today, Whalum humbly tells how divine intervention had a definite hand in his past success and stands on a faith that is clearly contageous. He celebrated his 25 years in the business with the release of his 2007 album 'Roundtrip', and engaged producer Phillippe Saisse, who worked on his first solo album, along with an amazingly great lineup of musicians that included Earl Klugh and many guest musicians who are.ready for this? Family members! Inside MusiCast is happy to welcome a sax virtuoso, Kirk Whalum.
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Inside MusiCast - Episode 70 (Steve Khan)
An L.A. kid transplanted in New York City, Steve Khan is considered one of the prolific jazz guitarists on the planet. For nearly forty years, Khan has recorded more than twenty albums and has shared his talent with artists such as Steely Dan, Larry Coryell and the Brecker Brothers Band. Inspired by legends such as Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino, Khans expansive body of work envelopes the world of jazz that has surrounded him since he picked-up the instrument. Not only has Khan delivered amazing music over the course of his career, he has also authored several books. Steely Dans Donald Fagen once wrote about Steve saying, The kid from Westwood, after years of study and sacrifice, can now do just about everything he wants with an electric guitar. Some people think they know all there is to know about Steve Khan, but dont let anyone tell you hes just another guitar player. Inside MusiCast welcomes Steve Khan.
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Inside MusiCast - Episode 79 (Mark King)
The music of Level 42 is addicting, and if thats the case, fans of their music have been in rehab for 30 years. Thats when bassist Mark King and keyboardist Mike Lindup started injecting lyrics into their fusion, funk-based tracks at the suggestion of their label in 1980. It created a sound that has been labeled as jazz-funk , sophisti-pop, New Wave, pop rock, and funk-pop. Whatever you call it, theres not a sound like that of Level 42. Over the years Kings sharp vocals and bass-slapping technique have merged with Lindups falsetto harmonies to deliver hits such as Something About You, Lessons Is Love, Children Say, Star Child and Its Over. After heavy touring and several personnel evolutions over the years, Level 42 suffered a band split in the mid-90s. But, were glad to say that King and the band have emerged once again. This past summer, they completed their first U.S. tour in over 22 years, which has made their American fans extremely happy. The good news is that theres still an enormous appreciation for their music, and THAT makes us happy. Inside MusiCast is pleased to welcome Level 42s Mark King.
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Christian Dion, Celebrity Psychic
Celebrity psychic Christian Dion returns for another great night of informative and entertaining readings as he provides our callers with guidance and forecasts regarding their personal lives. Always entertaining and enlightening, if you want a good "pick me up" take a listen to this December episode of Christian Dion.
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Friday, April 29, 2011
Cary Grant
Watching Cary Grant, drinking a Cary Grant. 
Watching Cary Grant, drinking a Cary Grant
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Podcast #9, featuring an interview with Dan Miller and flatpicking guitarist Orrin Star
Welcome to the show this is Podcast number 9. This week we feature
Dan Miller and his interview with flatpicking guitarist Orrin Star. Please visit this podcast
at http://www.flatpick.com/podcast.html
Dan Miller and his interview with flatpicking guitarist Orrin Star. Please visit this podcast
at http://www.flatpick.com/podcast.html
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inside MusiCast - Episode 81 (Jon Herington)
Since being a guest on Inside MusiCast in 2008, Jon Herington has been running non-stop. Touring with Steely Dan, and most recently with the Dukes of September tour, which featured Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs and Donald Fagen, the New York City singer/songwriter has focused on producing his latest solo effort, Shine (Shine, Shine), the follow-up to his 2000 solo release Like So. But, Shine is different in many ways from its predecessor. This album has a heavier guitar influence, and at times, it has an edgier approach. The quality of Jons writing and musicianship remains second to none. Herington collaborates with some very talented players and long-time colleagues, including bassist Dennis Espantman, Frank Pagano on drums, and on keyboards Rob Morsberger and Jim Beard. Espantman and Pagano combine with Herington to form the Jon Herington Band, who performs regularly on the New York City scene. Theyve performed together for years, and their talent shines through on Shine. Were honored to connect once more with one of the most proficient guitarists in the business. Inside MusiCast welcomes back Jon Herington.
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LIVE FROM HOLLYWEIRD!
Celebrity Psychic Christian Dion's debut episode of Psychic Gossip- Live From Hollyweird- an outrageously funny episode of celebrities and the down and dirty in Hollywood.
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Tank Riot - Episode 16: Energy
Energy! Facing the high costs of oil, we examine alternatives like ethanol (corn, sugarcane, etc.), wind, solar, hot dry rock, and sewage. Is George W. Bush doing anything productive or innovative? We will be the deciders!
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TR#75: Time Travel!
Time Travel! The team discusses some of the realities of time travel and their favorite appearances of time travel in science fiction including The Time Machine, Star Trek, Primer, Dr. Who, Back to the Future, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Timecrimes, Gateway, Hyperion, Terminator, Quantum Leap, Donnie Darko and many, many more. And of course a big time review of the great new movie Land of the Lost! Also in this show a brief discussion on the loss of Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and Kodachrome.
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Inside MusiCast - Episode 22 (Jason Scheff)
When you mention the name Chicago, people roll out the mental red carpet and pay homage to one of the most influential rock bands ever. And, after 40 years of delivering classic hits, their momentum and influence still remains strong with their recent 2006 release of Chicago XXX. If youre familiar with the bands music, then youre familiar with Jason Scheff, one of Chicagos lead vocalists and bass player for the past 21 years. Over the years, Jasons talent has helped Chicago deliver some of the most played and loved music around the world. His writing skills have also contributed to hits such as 'Will You Still Love Me', 'Youre Not Alone', and 'What Kind of Man Would I Be.' But dont think that Jason is only Chicago deep. He comes from deep musical roots, as his father was Elvis perennial bassist for years. Amazing where a musical heritage can take you. Inside MusiCast welcomes one of Chicagos best Jason Scheff.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Stanton Friedman, Ufologist & Nuclear Physicist
Have you ever thought about flying saucers or aliens from another planet? Or better yet, do believe in such a thing? Prepare to be astounded with one of the foremost authorities- Stanton Friedman. We'll talk about Roswell, Area 51, government cover-ups, and much more in this episode. Check out Stanton's website at www.StantonFriedman.com.
Tank Riot - Episode 54: Devo
Devo! We discuss our favorite band of spuds. Formed in Akron, Ohio in 1974, the band has been a cultural influence for decades. Learn about De-evolution and be like your ancestors or be different. It doesn't matter, we're all Devo!
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Mano-Destra: BrightSideBroadcast.com
BrightSideBroadcast proudly presents Mano-Destra. 
Mano-Destra is an Italian term used in piano music indicating that a specific passage is to be played by the right hand. In this case the right hand rules the mouse of a computer to orchestrate brilliant beats and layers of sound that can only be explained by pure genius. Sit back and discover Mano-Destra.
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Tank Riot - Episode 51: Iron Man vs. Zombie Strippers
Iron Man vs. Zombie Strippers! The Tank Team kicks off the Summer movie season with reviews of Iron Man and Zombie Strippers. We also discuss Wicked, Walking with Dinosaurs and the films we are most looking forward to this Summer!
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inside MusiCast - Episode 45 (Robbie Dupree)
For many artists who follow their hearts desire, the roads that lead to the promised land of musical success can be long and winding. Looking back on the road that Robbie Dupree has traveled, hes found that hes been one of the lucky ones. From his tough beginnings in Brooklyn, to his Top Ten hits, 'Hot Rod Hearts' and 'Steal Away', which earned him a Grammy nomination in the early 80s for Best New Artist, youll find that Robbie's career has been a wonderful journey that has crossed paths with timely opportunities. His newly released CD entitled 'Time And Tide' is a product of his high standards in writing, engineering and musicianship. He also has surrounded himself with musicians who hes worked with over the past years - David Sancious, Larry Hoppen, Leslie Smith, Rick Chudacoff, and Peter Bunetta all excellent musicians in their own right. Robbie Dupree has definitely reached his promised land, creating music on his terms. Inside MusiCast welcomes Robbie Dupree.
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Inside MusiCast - Episode 72 (Gary Wright)
As far back as the late 70s, Gary Wright has been challenging his audiences with pioneering instrumentation and cutting-edge technology. As a visionary songwriter, performer and all-around musician, he has spent more than thirty years shattering conventional musical ideas and creating chart-topping hits, such as Dreamweaver, My Love Is Alive and Really Wanna Know You. These timeless hits reflect his endless genius as they are played globally on a daily basis. Hes collaborated with George Harrison, Steve Winwood, Mick Jones and Joe Cocker. Today, youll even find him working with rap artists such as Third Base, Ton Loc, and Busta Rhymes, as well as Eminem, Salt-N-Pepa, Joan Osborne and Mya. Hes currently starting his second tour with Ringo Starrs All-Star Band while promoting his newest musical creation, Connected, his first pop album in over 20 years. Inside MusiCast welcomes the talented Gary Wright.
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Inside MusiCast - Episode 11 (Robbie Buchanan)
If you read our guests bio, youll learn that his first gig was at the age of 12 playing piano six nights a week in a small Canadian town in the Yukon Territory. Google his name and youll discover that this mans amazing keyboard talent has connected him to some of the biggest names in the music business over the years. In fact, on one project, Barbra Streisand even came over to his home studio and laid down vocal tracks with him. He was recently back in LA to help out on her new live show with Il Divo and has recently finished recording and producing Bette Midlers latest Christmas project. His name can be found on almost every major artists album credits: Elton John, George Benson, Chicago, Michael Franks, Luis Miguel, Joe Sample, Quincy Jones, Celine Dion, Earth Wind & Fire and Boz Scaggs. Were glad to welcome a phenomenal keyboardist, producer and writer to Inside MusiCast - Robbie Buchanan.
Podcast #11, featuring an interview with Jim Nunally and his new album.
Welcome to the show this is Podcast number 11. This week we feature
Dan Miller and his interview with artist Jim Nunally. Please visit this podcast
at http://www.flatpick.com/podcast.html
Dan Miller and his interview with artist Jim Nunally. Please visit this podcast
at http://www.flatpick.com/podcast.html
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Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Podcast #11, featuring an interview with Jim Nunally and his new album.
Welcome to the show this is Podcast number 11. This week we feature
Dan Miller and his interview with artist Jim Nunally. Please visit this podcast
at http://www.flatpick.com/podcast.html
Dan Miller and his interview with artist Jim Nunally. Please visit this podcast
at http://www.flatpick.com/podcast.html
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Inside MusiCast - Episode 78 (Bernie Chiaravalle)
Bernie Chiaravalle has never been a musician that needed a spotlight to complete him as a singer-songwriter-musician. Hes always let his music do the talking during his career that has spanned nearly three decades. Hes worked with artists such as the Doobie Brothers, Larry Carlton and David Pack, who incidentally introduced him to Michael McDonald. Needless to say, his musical relationship with McDonald has flourished for nearly 25 years and has took Chiaravalle to new levels of creative writing, performance and collaboration. Once you listen to his latest solo release, THE WORLD AROUND ME, youll find that he understands the craft of songwriting very well. Musically, his capacity to take you through a labyrinth of unexpectedly fresh guitar chording progressions will keep you engaged. Lyrically, he will draw you into his each song in a calm, methodical way. Inside MusiCast is happy to welcome a very seasoned musician, Bernie Chiaravalle.
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Inside MusiCast - Episode 8 (Jennie DeVoe)
Pale Blue girl with the Golden voice: When Jennie DeVoe begins to sing, she leaves people mesmerized. Its not only her sexy, bluesy, sultry and sometimes gritty voice that reminds you of a blend of Billie Holiday and Janis Joplin that captivates you, but her totally original musicianship has positioned her as an up and coming vocal star. Her predominantly acoustic blues-flavored style is peppered with the right combination of groove and lyrical painting that makes for a total performance that delivers a vibe that is nothing but cool. She even calls her own style Americana-hippie-gospel-soul. Join us as Jennie talks about her music, passions, world and the things that matter in her life. She might even bring her guitar along and perform a tune or two live on our PodCast. Inside MusiCast welcomes Jennie DeVoe.
Shady Grove - Bluegrass Music
A version of the Shady Grove song from the "Back Porch Music" CD, listen to old time bluegrass music performed by the Queen Family, North Carolina mountains.
Shady Grove Song mp3 Queen Family music at Mountain Gateway Museum, Old Fort NC.
Shady Grove Song mp3 Queen Family music at Mountain Gateway Museum, Old Fort NC.
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Tank Riot - Episode 30: Religion, Part 2
In this episode Viktor and Sputnik discuss Scientology. Learn about the origins of L. Ron Hubbard's modern religion and more arcane secrets leaked into the public domain ...
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Finding Files and Other Saw Sharpening Tips
I've been getting a few questions lately on saw files - what to get, and where to get them, mostly. Here's some highlights from those correspondences that others might find useful.
I've found that Nicholsen saw files are getting to be poorer quality - though they will still do in a pinch, most certainly... I have many boxes of older Nicholsens that will keep me in files for quite a while. For new, I recommend Grobet files personally, though I've seen Daryl Weir recommend Bahco files, and with the immense skill he has in sharpening a saw I wouldn't doubt his word at all.
You can get quality saw files at any of the following:
I believe they are all selling Grobet brand files, but I’m not positive about Lie-Nielsen – they may sell Bahco, but I believe it is Grobet. In any case, they are all very good, Bahco is a good file, from all reports I've heard (though I've not used them myself). Simonds also makes a good saw file, from my experience, if you can find them. Sears sometimes sells them, along with Bachco brand files.
Vintage Saws is a small company, just one guy I think – Pete Taran – he’s actually the guy who started making Independence Saws, which were eventually bought out by and became the Lie-Nielsen line of saws. He has a great sharpening tutorial on his site as well, well worth your time to read.
Lie-Nielsen you should know, they are a quality outfit all around, and make excellent quality saws. Tools For Working Wood is Joel Moscowitz’s company out of New York, he sells a lot of great quality tools at pretty reasonable prices. He’s my very favorite online tool dealer. He’s my go-to dealer. He also makes a line of saws – Gramercy – which are great saws, of excellent quality.
Mike Wenzloff makes saws and sells files also:
His stuff is always top-notch.
Any of the above are absolutely guaranteed as top-notch – I recommend any/all of them.
Another place to get saw files - if you don't mind buying a box of 12 - is at amazon.com:
It's a pretty good deal for them, if you plan on filing a number of saws.
If you are in the UK or Europe I won’t be of too much help finding saw files that cost a bunch to ship as all the places I know well are here in the US, but you might try these, they are all in the UK:
EDIT: Pedder (of Two Lawyers Sawmakers) in a comment below mentions:
The best source for saw files in europe is Dieter Schmid's fine-tools.com
http://www.fine-tools.com/euroscha.htm
Grobet files (labled F. Dick)
Thanks Pedder! I had completely forgotten about that company... For everyone else - take a look at Pedder's offerings - they are an up and coming pair of sawmakers whose work is amongst the best I've seen...
Just so you know, I am working on getting a supplier lined up for selling saw files through this website at some time in the future... We'll have to see if it works out, but watch here for updates.
While I'm at it, here's a few links and images from previous articles on Norse Woodsmith:
Lines drawings with spacings for saw teeth in PDF format:
A guide for fleam:
Here's a recommened list of files for ppi/tpi of saws - compiled and consolidated from several sources:
For sizing a particular file to a particular tooth size - this is the general rule of thumb you want to follow:
Mike Wenzloff has taken information from Holly’s “The Art of Saw Filing” and Charles Holtzapffel’s “Construction, Action and Application of Cutting Tools” that cover choosing a saw for a task fairly well:
Mike’s chart and saw recommendations in the link above are quite good – spend some time looking his information over, and that should help you determine what sizes you may need.
On an entirely different subject:
A request was made in my last entry something similar to "no pictures, didn't happen"... so here is a portion of Neil Young's "Down By The River" accompanied by me on one of the guitars I made,,,
Down By The River:
It looks like you don't have Adobe Flash Player installed. Get it now.
If the player above doesn't load, here's a direct link to the file:
http://norsewoodsmith.com/files/images/casters/mp3/DownTrack3.mp3
No apologies for the player's abilities - he's trying his best, mind you. You should be able to tell which guitar it is I'm playing pretty easily (it is Mjöllnir, BTW).
Leif
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Trent Willmon
This hour?s guest is hit songwriter and recording artist, Trent Willmon. Aside from hits he?s written for others, like Steel Magnolia?s ?Keep on Loving You?, he?s plenty of his own, like ?On Again Tonight? and ?DIxie Deluxe?s Honky Tonk Feed Store, Gun Shop, Used Car, Beer, Bait, BBQ, Barber Shop Laundromat.? Fun stuff!Guitar Prices Gibson Les Paul Guitar Blueridge Guitar Guitar Stand
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Installing Plastic Binding
I'm getting close to the end of these posts on building a guitar... After this entry, my focus will shift to finishing. Last time I shaped the bodies of the other two guitars, and in this I will add binding to the corners of the third.
Binding is a strip of either wood or plastic added to the very corner of a guitar. Often (usually on acoustic guitars, less so on electric) these strips also have "purfling" - which is a decorative strip or inlay on either side of the binding strip - I won't be adding any purfling here, just a simple binding strip to both front and back edges making this guitar what is known as "double-bound".
I've done some binding with wood on previous projects, but this was the first time I tried using a plastic binding.... To tell the truth, this is actually my second attempt at binding this particular guitar as I failed with the first attempt. That was entirely my fault, mostly because of my frugality - when ordering parts, I had included a couple strips of plastic cream-colored binding that measured 090" x .250" x 65" long (one for each side) and figured I would try make do with the rabbeting bits I already own to route the channels for them. I knew I owned a set that had a bunch of bearings with it, so I figured there must be one in there I can use that's close.
The 1/4" depth obviously wasn't a problem, as that's just the setting for how deep to go. The problem was with the .090" thickness of the binding. The rabbeting set I have has bearings for 1/8" and for 1/16" deep (0.125" and 0.0625" respectively) - and the .090" binding falls right between those. The 1/8" slot was far too deep, but I figured I would try the 1/16" bit and see how it worked out.
I know, I know. I know better than that - but I did it anyway. It was good practice... but that's about all. After I had the binding in place, it stuck out quite a ways/ I scraped it down (which went quite well, really) to where it was 1/16" thick, but it just didn't look quite right - and there were a couple spots where I scraped a little too much, and the binding subsequently became too thin - and at 1/16" it's far too easy to see a flaw like that.
So, I ordered a proper set of rabbeting bits (StewMac seems to be about the only place to get them) along with some new binding strips and re-routed the body with a correctly sized rabbet and went about reinstalling the new binding strips.
The plastic strips that came would never work as they came - they needed to be pre-bent to fit the guitar. So I taped the center of the strip to the bottom of the guitar and worked my way around the body fitting the strip a few inches at a time, taping the binding strip as I went.
To add a bend to the plastic is just a matter of heating the plastic until it deforms easily, then holding it in place while it cools. It really doesn't take a lot of heat - I did this using a heat gun, but I think that was really too hot - a hair dryer would probably have worked better. I don't own one though - and didn't want to spend any more money for such a thing (but now that I think of it, I could probably have just checked out a couple local thrift stores and picked one up for a buck or two).
The tight curves at the end were the most challenging. I just worked a few inches at a time, taping the binding as I went, making sure I could tape it with no gaps when it came time to do the same thing with glue.
The front will not require a splice, as the binding ends at the neck pocket. The back does, however, and I figured about the best place for a splice would be behind the neck - the other choice being at the bottom of the guitar, though I thought with all the curves it might be easier to work with the binding at the end of it's run rather than in the middle. I cut the binding strip to length where the two ends met, being extremely careful to make a perpendicular cut on each end.
Then it was just a matter of gluing the binding into place - again, I started at the bottom of the guitar with the middle of the strip and worked my way up each side, taping it in place as I went, then let it sit for a full 24 hours to let the glue cure. I used the Weld-On cement StewMac sells to glue the binding in place.
It went fairly well, at least for the most part.
When I was finished with the back, I repeated the process for the top of the guitar. There were two significant problems I ran into. The first was this:
Now how did I let that happen? I thought I was so careful when cutting the thing to length. Ugh... To fix it, I cut a thin slice of binding strip and glued it into place - the glue literally melts the plastic, so it should be a sound repair.
When the glue was dry, I trimmed off the excess and scraped and sanded the joint so it was flush. It does leave a little bit of a line, however.
I've read where you can take a small piece of binding strip and place it in a capful of acetone, which will melt the plastic giving you a little plastic paste you can fill small gaps with - this binding strip must be of a different type of plastic as I couldn't get it to do that... It's not all that obvious on the guitar, so this will work.
The other significant issue I had with the binding was it didn't always adhere as well as I think it should have. You can see it in the curve of the body in the photo where I cut the strip to fill above, and on the top I could pull the binding out here at the bottom of the guitar:
That was disappointing, to say the least... I guess you can't expect what is essentially a PVC glue to hold all that well to wood. To repair these gaps, I held the offending areas of binding out with my finger like in the shot above and wicked in some thin CA glue into the void, then held that all in place until it dried - problem solved for now, but next time I want a better solution. I tested some glues, more on that in a bit...
To finish the binding was a simple matter of scraping it flush with the body, simply enough done with a hand-held scraper:
From here, it can be sanded and treated just as the rest of the body is.
I want to do this better next time - specifically, I want a better glue. Now, some sort of plastic glue will be necessary to have on hand for purpose such as the repair above, where one is gluing plastic to itself, but for gluing the binding to the body, there has to be a better solution. A little testing was needed... First, a plastic glue or CA glue is commonly used for this purpose, so I decided to try a few different plastic glues against a gel form CA glue.
I had read somewhere that Testor's model glue was for all intents the same thing as Weld-On and could be used in it's stead - so I picked a bottle up at the local hobby store and by happenstance I was in the hardware store I noticed they had Duco plastic model cement, so I picked up a tube of that as well. I knew each would work well for gluing plastic to itself, but besides being a bit of a skeptic having not done much in the way of gluing plastic to wood in the past I didn't know how each would hold onto wood... So I set up a little test to see. I glued a short strip of binding to a piece of beech with each glue and let it set for 24 hours. The contenders were, in order:
#1: Weld-On
#2: Duco Plastic Model Cement
#3: Testor's Model Cement
#4: Loctite CA (gel form)
First thing I noticed - the three plastic cements are NOT all equal. They each smell distinctly different, and carry different material warnings on their labels.
Now - this is wholly subjective, and I don't claim to be any kind of expert - my test was simply to pull the binding strip off of the wood to see how well each held on. For a rating system I'll use a 1 to 10 scale - let's say that this was a wood to wood joint done with wood glue as being the standard for a score of 10; a rating of 5 for the absolute minimum I would consider using; and a rating of 1 would be a complete failure. My ratings for each glue would be:
#1: Weld-On
My rating: 5. It came off fairly easily, and while I wouldn't say it impressed me, I would think it to be sufficient enough of a hold to work (good because it's sold for that purpose!).
#2: Duco Plastic Model Cement
My rating: 3. It came off more easily than the Weld-On. I don't think I would use this stuff.
#3: Testor's Model Cement
My rating: 2. This stuff barely held. I definitely would not use it for binding.
#4: Loctite CA
My rating: 8. The CA held just about as well as I think you could expect any glue to hold plastic binding in place on a wood base. It wasn't as good as a wood to wood joint with wood glue - but the joint was very strong.
My take - The strongest was by far the CA glue - it's short working time would enable you to only glue a few inches at a time at best, but I think that's what I will use next time.
The Weld-On worked also - and while I wouldn't call it a "strong" joint, it does the job. I did end up using the Weld-On for this project, but was ultimately disappointed - I ended up fixing gaps where it just didn't hold well - using CA.
The other two - they just didn't hold nearly well enough for me to even consider using them.
Now, I had an idea of what held well and what didn't as far as those glues go, but I wanted to take it a little further - CA is a good glue, but it's working time is very short - so I decided to test a few more glues in the same manner to see what else might work. Here, the contenders are:
#4: Loctite CA (gel form)
#5: Loctite CA (thin, regular style)
I didn't include hot hide glue - I didn't have any ready at the time I put the test together - but the liquid hide glue should suffice as a test for it as well, as once they are dry they behave very similarly. Neither did I include polyurethane glue - I don't allow that stuff in my shop - nor did I include any kind of epoxy, as you are just asking for trouble using that here, at least in my opinion.
My ratings:
#1: Titebond Wood Glue (original formula):
My rating: 1. Total failure.
My rating: ON HOLD: Blast it. It looks like my bottle of liquid hide glue has gone bad - it wouldn't fully harden. It is nearing the bottom, and has made it through the hot part of the summer so I reckon it was time. Liquid hide glue does have a shelf life...
[UPDATE: My rating: 1. I finally got a new bottle of glue and tried it out on a piece of plastic binding. Once dry, it failed, utterly and completely.]
#3: Elmers White glue
My rating: 1. Total failure.
#4: Loctite CA (gel form)
My rating: 8. It held as well as last time.
#5: Loctite CA (thin, regular style)
My rating: 10. It held as good as any glue is ever going to - the binding broke before it separated from the wood.
I was fully expecting the wood and white glue to fail, and it did, spectacularly. However I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the hide glue, even with it not curing fully... While it didn't hold as well as the super glues, it looks to me that it might hold its own against the Weld-On. Plus, it has an extended working time and is not as harmful to the finish as super glue. I will have to re-test using liquid hide glue when I get a chance to pick up a new bottle, and I might include hot hide glue at the same time. I will pick up a new bottle ASAP and post the results here when I do.
[UPDATE: As I mention above, once dry it failed, utterly and completely. It must have been just holding because it was sticky gunk that just wouldn't dry, because once it was it let go as easily as the other wood glues . I was hoping it was a sign it was going to hold, but alas it was not to be.]
I was also surprised at the difference between regular and gel CA glue - the thin stuff held - period. It didn't let go at all. The gel did, though took a little effort. I expect the gel may still have an advantage because it is a gel, making it easier to apply... but still...
Leif
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