Home made binding tool

[bobz]

I tried to purchase a Dremel flexible shaft attachment in some of my local tool stores that I knew stocked Dremel equipment. I did`nt manage to aquire a Dremel shaft as all the stores I visited were out of stock on this item, but I did purchase what I think was a real bargain. See photo, this little kit cost about the same as the Dremel flex shaft would have cost. The Dremel shaft would have cost me £28.35, I got this lot fo £29.95. It consists of a 130 watt router, flexible shaft, telescopic stand, and grinding, sanding, cutting attachments. I wanted a flexible shaft to make a tool for routing the binding rabbet in my mando bodies.

[bobz]

Here`s the tool I made that attaches to the flexible shaft. I made it from a block of maple with a 3/4 inch hole drilled in the end to accept the flex shaft. A slot was cut on the bandsaw down the length of the tool so the flex shaft can be pinched in the tool with a nut and bolt. The fence is made from a piece of aluminium angle iron and fixed with a wood screw to the tool. The fence is slotted for depth adjustment also.

[bobz]

Here I`ve routed a body. It`s really easy to use because of the long fence, it`s easy to keep square to the body. As you can in the photo I was able to rout as far as allowed round the scroll as the crest of the scroll does`nt foul the path of the tool.

[Luthier]

Very nice, Bob. #That is really creative. #I think half the fun of building is trying to engineer ways of performing the required operations to achieve the best results. #I like it. #I am coming out with plans for a Dremel router base with a light to make inlay easier.

Don