U.S. Guitar Kits Cutaway User Manual download pdf (Page 19)

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Install the waist clamp, and screw it to the topside of the

workbench, with the tailblock end of the guitar facing the

ceiling, to hold the body ﬁrmly while you work. Center

the tapered plastic end trim at the end seam of the guitar,

about midway from top to bottom, wide end toward the

soundboard (see blueprint). Hold the end trim ﬁrmly and

use a sharp knife to score the outline of its edges onto the

guitar body. Gradually deepen the scored line in several

passes with the knife or a thin razor saw, and chisel the area

between the lines to the thickness of the end trim. Check

the ﬁt of the end trim in the channel, and glue it in place

with Weld-On cement. Clamping should not be necessary,

but use waxed paper to protect your hands. After 24 hours

drying time, trim the ends to match the routed binding

ledges. Level the end trim ﬂush with the guitar sides, using

a sharp scraper blade tool.

Installing the end trim

Installing the bindings

We prefer our high-tack binding tape to hold the bindings,

but you can also use cloth tape or long rubber bands. Be-

fore gluing, prepare by tearing many pieces of tape in 2"

lengths.

Apply Weld-On glue to a section of the routed soundboard

channels, from about six inches to one-quarter of the dis-

tance around the guitar from the tailblock seam. Set the

black/white trim in place. Apply a little more glue on its edge,

and set the binding strip against it in the outer channel. You

can glue both strips simultaneously. Secure them tightly with

tape and press the trim down ﬁrmly. Repeat the procedure to

complete one side of the soundboard, and allow 6-8 hours

drying time before binding the other side.

Remove the tape by warming it with a heat gun (or a hair

dryer) held at least 6-8 inches away. Pull the tape off at a

45° angle (pictured). When warmed, the tape will lift easily

without pulling out wood ﬁbers.

Glue and tape the back bindings in place. The binding joints

at the neck block and tailblock must be trimmed for a close

ﬁt. The solvent-based glue, such as Weld-on, will melt the

joints together. Allow 6-8 hours drying time before remov-

ing the tape.

It’s best to wait at least two days before scraping the bindings

ﬂush to the wood, because the plastic will shrink slightly as

the glue solvent evaporates. Use a scraper blade to smooth

the bindings ﬂush to the guitar’s sides, back and top. Scrape

in the direction of the wood grain, and avoid digging into

the wood. Practice on scrap if possible.

Shaping the end trim and heel cap

Cut off 2-1/4" from the rectangular blank, to be used for

the heel cap material. On the remaining 6" piece, draw a

center line from end to end. On one end measure out from

center 3/8" each way and make a mark. On the opposite end

measure out 3/16" from the center line each way and make a

mark. Connect the marks from end to end with your pencil,

now you have your shape.

Attach the piece to a ﬂat surface using double sided tape.

Lay a straight edge along the outer angled lines and cut

along the straight edge with a razor knife. Make several cuts

until you are completely through the material.

Clean up the cut edges with a ﬁle. Take care to ﬁle along the

whole length of the piece, so you don’t lose the straightness

of the edges.

3/8"3/4"

Save short piece

for neck heel cap

Cut a 6" section for making the wedge

6" wedge tapers from 3/4" to 3/8"

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U.S. Guitar Kits Cutaway User Manual Page 19

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