Show us your jig? Bindings

[thistle3585]

Here is the rig I use. Its a self leveling tool holder. I got it on ebay for $40 and put a laminate trimmer on it.

[billhay4]

Thistle,
Does it level to the instrument, or some pre-entered point on the machine? If the latter, you have to make sure the instrument is perfectly level to begin with, right?
Bill

[Jimmy Kittle]

This is the cheap home built version of the arm Thistle is using

[Jim Hilburn]

I made a guitar 16 years ago, but I'm wondering what the advantage of the swing arm jig has over just using a laminate trimmer by hand. I know you have to do some sort of angle jig for the front part of the back but it would appear you would still have to do that.

[Jimmy Kittle]

I have a cradle that allows adjust for the height difference of the back. I'm not sure there is an advantage, other then I like making these things as much as instruments.

[amowry]

I can't remember if I've posted these elsewhere here, but this is the setup I've been using for the past few years. Like Austin, I reused the most functional part of that Stew-Mac Dremel attachment for the adjustment (great minds think alike ) The whole guide swings on a bearing assembly so it always stays perpendicular to the cut, thus it always cuts to the full depth without having to worry about holding the instrument body perpendicular to the guide. Like Tom, I think two spool clamps is the way to go, so the instrument is supported at three points, like a milking stool The setup works great, but you do need a stiff router insert to support it so it doesn't deflect, and it has to be perfectly centered on the router bit to work properly.

[billhay4]

Nice, Andrew, as I'd expect from you (and Austin).
Bill

[Brian Evans]

So yesterday I took the giant leap of faith, built my humble jig and routed my first binding channel. I used a half inch rabbet bit with a 3/8" bearing to get a 1/16" deep channel, I used a simple donut of wood around the bit for the edge of the instrument to ride on, and I pivoted on the tallest part of the arch. I tried using a couple of spindle clamps that I made up with the same height as the wood rest around the bit, but I didn't like that - in the test run I found I had problems keeping the instrument edge firmly down on the rest. I found that simply pivoting on the arch and keeping my fingers resting on the table kept the instrument quite stable and level, and the channel came out perfectly. Another skill learned!

[Mark Gunter]

Thanks to all who've shared photos thus far, I still haven't made my jig yet; another more involved shop fixture is in the works just now, but will have to get at this soon.

I'm curious, for those who've had both ways, what do you see as advantages/disadvantages of the "captured bit/solid depth stop" vs. the bearing method?

[amowry]

I think the main advantage of the former method is that you can use any bit, e.g. a spiral downcut, which leaves a nice smooth surface, and might have less potential for tearout. A bit with a bearing on it is smpler to set up and has the potential to be more precise in terms of the depth of cut.

[Dale Ludewig]

Andrew,

It looks like you've got a couple of "scallops", for lack of a better term in the polyethylene part next to the bit. If so, what's the purpose? Nice touch with the bearing there by the bit.

Thanks!

[amowry]

Thanks Dale--the little scallops are so that in the scroll area on F5s the depth registers as close to the binding as possible, i.e. the instrument doesn't ride up on the scroll ridge, making a shallow cut. I guess the whole "donut" could be that smaller diameter, but in general it's nice to have the wider shelf to rest the instrument on.

What may not be clear is that that plastic donut is stationary, while the whole rest of the assembly swivels around it on bearings, so you can choose which side of the donut you want to use at any given time.

[Dale Ludewig]

Andrew- that's a good idea. I think I may rework my donut, so to speak.