Guild Starfire Binding Issue

[Gregg Sprague]

Hi all,  I used to hang out here before I opened my business and figured this was the place for my question.  I haven't done any binding repairs before so I would like to get some ideas on this Guild.

 

I have seen the method of cutting it in the middle to relieve the tension, glue it back in place and fill in the cut area with some binding melted in acetone of the same color and then "draw" in the black lines and then shoot some laquer over it.  I read about this approach somewhere (probably here) but any other methods/ideas would be appreciated. 

 

 

[Grahame Myers]

Here's what Frank, the boss here, has to say on the subject:
http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Structural/Reglue...
I don't think it can be improved upon

Grahame

[Greg Mirken]

I don't see the need to loosen whole sections of that binding; it doesn't look like it has shrunk that much. Judicious use of a heatgun or lamp will soften it enough to stretch it back in place. Pull it tight against the wood, tack with thin superglue, then go back and flow in some more once the first dabs kick off.

If the binding has really shrunk badly, say at the waist, I will loosen another several inches on either side of the loose area to spread the stretching needed over a greater length.

[Gregg Sprague]

Yup Grahame, Frank's instructions are the one I remember reading a while back. Let me ask, is there any harm in trying it Greg's way first before cutting and filing? Greg, what should I look out for when trying it your way?

Thanks guys.

[Greg Mirken]

Well, you want to be very comfortable with cyanoacrylate glue! Don't apply it directly from the bottle. I usually paint a little accelerator on the binding ledge with a tiny paintbrush before I warm the binding, . As the binding warms, you will be able to feel when it is able to stretch. You'll likely need to do a bit of wet-sanding and buffing of any glue squeeze-out.