banjonz - Posted - 09/12/2025:  14:53:48

I have been looking online for solutions on how to thin down binding material from 1.5mm thickness. I only found one vid showing someone with a hand plane mounted on a few pieces of wood and the binding being pulled through and shaving it thinner. The camera recording was too far away to get any real detail. Any thoughts?

DSmoke - Posted - 09/12/2025:  15:56:46

I'm interested as well. I've always just scraped/planed it after gluing in on, which is not my favorite job.

eagleisland - Posted - 09/12/2025:  16:30:06

Be careful as hell. Celluloid is highly flammable. If memory serves, the late Arthur Hatfield was trying to thin down celluloid binding when it caught fire and gave him second- and third-degree burns. Almost destroyed his ability to play banjos, let alone build them.

banjonz - Posted - 09/12/2025:  16:34:35

quote:

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Originally posted by DSmoke

I'm interested as well. I've always just scraped/planed it after gluing in on, which is not my favorite job.

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After a bit more searching, I have come across a device called a Lie-Nielson thicknessing tool. I think I might attempt to make something like this.

 

trapdoor2 - Posted - 09/12/2025:  16:52:17

quote:

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Originally posted by banjonz

quote:

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Originally posted by DSmoke

I'm interested as well. I've always just scraped/planed it after gluing in on, which is not my favorite job.

---

After a bit more searching, I have come across a device called a Lie-Nielson thicknessing tool. I think I might attempt to make something like this.

 

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I'd use replaceable scraper blades, mounted to a scrap of wood with slots cut to suit. Might be a bit fiddly on set-up but for a short run, it should work.

banjonz - Posted - 09/12/2025:  17:18:40

I am already designing up a jig to make. It shouldn't be to hard.

DSmoke - Posted - 09/12/2025:  17:29:04

As Skip mentioned and why I don’t enjoy this work, it’s extremely flammable. Maybe you can sell the scapings as the “Ultimate Fire Starter”. I get the scrapings out as soon as possible. But, I still have a shop full of celluloid so I guess I hope it’s stable.

banjonz - Posted - 09/13/2025:  00:48:07

quote:

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Originally posted by DSmoke

As Skip mentioned and why I don’t enjoy this work, it’s extremely flammable. Maybe you can sell the scapings as the “Ultimate Fire Starter”. I get the scrapings out as soon as possible. But, I still have a shop full of celluloid so I guess I hope it’s stable.

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I'm not using celluloid but ABS plastic.

staceyz - Posted - 09/13/2025:  08:18:19

I finally caved in, and bought the Stewmac binding trimmer... I love it. I can make anything now. Great for restoration work, matching up odd ball sized binding...

stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-...b9f68c5ec

staceyz - Posted - 09/13/2025:  08:20:50

.. Also a friend of mine, has a thickness sander (drum sander), and he would use double sided tape, and stick on a couple strips of binding on a board, and run it through a few times to thin the binding to the desired thickness. That also worked..