A very lucky close call...........

[Kevin in California]

So on my 7th guitar, after six times successfully using the trim bit in my hand held router to trim back the back and top after gluing them to the rims, I had an OH OH! After the fact I see that I should have been going the other direction of travel with the router at that exact spot......careless!
I am lucky. The chip out falls within my planned binding/purfling width of .210". It could have been a huge disaster!
I will pass this on to say "be every so careful when you are doing this procedure". I was only taking about a 3/16" bite into the top edge here, but it was too much. This procedure always makes me nervous.....now I know why!!!

Kevin

[Tim Benware]

Wasn't so lucky on one and it became a burst finish - gone!

[ken cierp]

I know the "horse is out of the barn" -- but this brings up a couple of points. Sometimes an inspection of the glue joint will reveal small gaps that of course have the potential of tear out. What I have done is use epoxy to fill the voids before routing, just a little insurance. Note too, that if you decide to bevel the top edge to say 28' radius (not recommended) the chance of a poor glue joint is increased since you are depending on the clamping system to actually bend the wood to compress it against the bevel (mis-match) the wood in length-wise is stiffer and a little more subborn.

[Tom West]

Climb mill the entire outline. Hard for the bit to get under an edge doing it that way.
Tom