Uneven Purfling

mandodiddle

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Hey everyone, I have some questions about purfling.
I bought some .20 x .20 black/white fiber purfling from LMI and glued it in with black ebony wood binding at the same time using LMI’s yellow glue. I used StewMac’s brown binding tape and did use considerable pressure when taping the binding/purfling down.
The results I got were a little disappointing. The white portion of the purfling showed up as varying thicknesses in different places along the binding.
The questions I have are:
1. Is it possible to use too much pressure with the brown binding tape and a glue that is water soluble?
2. Would cyanoacrylate glue be a better method, taping everything in place first and then wicking it in?
3. Would gluing the binding in first with a spacer for the purfling be a better choice? Then glue in the purfling.
4. Would plastic purfling create a better result?

I can go along the purfling with an Exacto knife and clean the white dimensions up pretty good, but it has been time consuming and seems like unnecessary work that I have created.
 

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I think this is due to the nature of that 'fiber' purfling. I have used it a little bit and it seems closer to plastic than any sort of fiber in the way that it handles/cuts. I think what you are seeing is the result of trying to sand it, as it does not sand well. Sanding kind of mushes the black over the white (think plastic getting soft under heat). LMI says don't sand it but use a sharp scraper, which works pretty well. Going over the edge with a fresh razor blade used as a scraper should clean things up.
 
I think this is due to the nature of that 'fiber' purfling. I have used it a little bit and it seems closer to plastic than any sort of fiber in the way that it handles/cuts.

Yes, it is strange stuff. A mixture of some sort of fiber and plastic and it will do exactly what you got. When sanded, small fibers appear which need to be "cut" off with a sharp scrapper. I use the stuff for giving a WBW line underneath the peghead vaneer to create some interest. It used to come in four inch wide rolls of varying thickness.

peghead.jpg

To answer your question: Yes, plastic purfling will give you a more consistent line. I've also used wood which results in a variable line but I think makes things look more "authentic". Wood purfling below.

wood purf.jpg

And plastic side purfling

purf pre finished.jpg
 
Thanks very much for the replies guys. I kind of feel the same way about plastic purfling. I think I'll go back over it some more with the scraper and see if I can get some improvement.
 
In my experience, it isn't the nature of fiber purfling to be inconsistent in itself.

The times I have seen it it was the result of a manufacturing error.

Sometimes I think I have some, but if you keep scraping/sanding and it goes away as it can fold over a bit and look thicker.
 
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