Got the binding all scraped off on this one. No catastrophes, just a lap full of fine plastic shavings. You can see my homemade scraper. A bit of final touch-up to the stain, and this will be ready for a proper oil-based finish.
This one went through a long and torturous build process over almost two years. All I can say is don't believe the "advice" you find on talk_ass. However, in the end, it turned out to be a pretty nice instrument.
Well, I ordered up one of these headless bridges for about $60 shipped, and after three weeks, here it is:
As you can see, I disassembled one of the gear mechanisms. The one-piece gear and spool appear to be solid brass, held in the bracket with a c-clip. The gears actually work surprisingly well, smooth, with just a little slop that would disappear under string tension. Everything is also lubricated, which I did not expect from China. I am surprised, the quality of materials and design of this unit is much better than I expected. You can see how the knobs pull out on the shafts for easier adjustment.