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Thread: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

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    Registered User Nick Gellie's Avatar
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    Question Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Has anyone had experience a with the Stewmac router binding jig?. I want to use it for a range of instruments mainly flatop instruments like ukeleles, Irish Bouzoukis, spanish guitars, and arch topped instruments.

    I think it was designed by Don McCrostie.

    Will it fit a Makita 700 C router laminate trimmer?

    Thanks in advance for your input.
    Nic Gellie

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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Nick, I have no experience with the Stewmac jig but I made one which works in the same way, and works great. Cost about £10 to make using ply scraps and 2 drawer runners. Btw, on the other end of the pulley is a bag of lead fishing weights to counterbalance the router.
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    I have used it for several instruments and even my first F5, I had to stop just before the scroll and finish by hand.
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    Mike

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    Registered User Nick Gellie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Lovely piece of kit Mikey. Thanks for showing it to me. Does the router ride and up down its mount rather than site in one position? I have seen Andy Tobin's jig does that.
    Nic Gellie

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    Registered User Nick Gellie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Here he is using a POF52 Bosch trimmer riding straight on the edge of the instrument:

    https://mandolincafe.com/forum/threa...ld-Diary/page2
    Nic Gellie

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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Quote Originally Posted by Nick Gellie View Post
    Lovely piece of kit Mikey. Thanks for showing it to me. Does the router ride and up down its mount rather than site in one position? I have seen Andy Tobin's jig does that.
    Yes Nick, it rides up and down the slides(that is their purpose) and follows the contour of the instrument body, just as the Stewmac jig, and obviously the depth of the cutter can be adjusted too by the control knob on the router. In one respect, it is probably better than the stewmac jig because it has the counterbalance weights which allow it to follow the contour smoothly, which I don't think would be the case without it because the weight of the router alone bearing down on the instrument would make it difficult to move the cradle around freely. As it is, it works great, and costs next to nothing to make. A bit of experimentation is required to get the correct balance weights, but that's just trial and error and once it's done, it's done! Good luck. Mike

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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Quote Originally Posted by Nick Gellie View Post
    Here he is using a POF52 Bosch trimmer riding straight on the edge of the instrument:

    https://mandolincafe.com/forum/threa...ld-Diary/page2
    And yes it can be done that way on a flat top, but e.g. on the back of a guitar which is quite arched and tapered towards the neck, then it becomes difficult to keep the binding channel perpendicular . Some builders use the router alone with an adjustable angled base to compensate and others use gizmos like the Stewmac jig or Lmii or build their own like I have.

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    Registered User Nick Gellie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Ok. I will have a crack at it. What length of drawyer runners should I get? There are some on Amazon. It is pretty remote here. I like your guitar body cradle. How did you get your F5 on there? Or did you make a separate cradle?
    Nic Gellie

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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Have a look at this and scroll down to the Mandolin with spool clamps attached. https://www.projectguitar.com/produc...ng-machine-r9/
    That's how I cradled the mandolins, but you have to shuffle the clamps around as you go to enable access to all areas of the rim. I'll let you know later about the size of runners I used.

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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Quote Originally Posted by Nick Gellie View Post
    Ok. I will have a crack at it. What length of drawyer runners should I get? There are some on Amazon. It is pretty remote here. I like your guitar body cradle. How did you get your F5 on there? Or did you make a separate cradle?
    Here are some more pics, I know it looks like it's thrown together but it works, and if the main structure looks odd at the back, it's because I used an old hood from a shop built drum sander. The drawer runners are 350mm and the main body is approx. 500mm, and obviously you can make it your way to fit the Makita( which I wish I had bought instead of the Bosch junk)
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    it's portable enough to store on a shelf and when I need it, I clamp it to the bench.
    Sorry about the orientation of the pictures. Mike

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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Thanks for the pictures Mike. As soon as My Makita 700C arrives I will start on it and send pictures. Where do you get that great pulley wheel from?
    Nic Gellie

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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Cutting the binding channel is probably the #1 scariest part of the build.. I started by cutting by hand and realizing that took way too long.. Next was the dremmel with Stew-Mac cutter.. That was much easier but with a steady hand , was still nerve racking.. You know, spending 100 or so hours building and carving, then assaulting it with a hand held router.. My last and best has been a type of pin router made from a Colt hand router on a type of tower.. . The body is held in a sled type thing that can work quite well.. Problem is securing the body tightly.. (still working on that).. I'm not the best designer, but am inspired ... Cost is #1 ya know........
    kterry

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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    I agree Buckhorn. It is a nerve wracking process when one comes to creating binding ledges. I think Mikey's design is a good one. It is practical cheap and flexible. I like his cradle design too. I am getting an LMII binding cutter with bearings so I will be putting laminate trimmer, binding cutter and tower together like he has it to the test soon once I have made it.
    Nic Gellie

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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Nick, the bearing was a later addition to replace the wooden one I made initially. It has bearings and helps the jig run more smoothly, and I can't quite remember but I think I got it from Ebay. Mike

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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Mikey, I am in the process of building a cradle. You used screws to hold plywood pieces together; did you also glue them? I am concerned about strength of that particular joint, screw going in to open grain of plywood. How is it holding up? What kind of screws did you use, and did you pre-drill? Thanks for sharing your work, very nice. I have remodeled an old radial arm saw to hold my router. It is now an over-arm router. It should work with your type of cradle....I hope. Thanks for posting. ja

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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    Quote Originally Posted by doodle View Post
    Mikey, I am in the process of building a cradle. You used screws to hold plywood pieces together; did you also glue them? I am concerned about strength of that particular joint, screw going in to open grain of plywood. How is it holding up? What kind of screws did you use, and did you pre-drill? Thanks for sharing your work, very nice. I have remodeled an old radial arm saw to hold my router. It is now an over-arm router. It should work with your type of cradle....I hope. Thanks for posting. ja
    I started to read this thread today, not realising I had contributed to it, as it was quite a while back. Anyway, it's still holding up very well and works perfectly. I can't quite remember because I made this almost 5 years ago, but I'm pretty sure I used glue(Titebond) as well as screws. Not sure about the screws but regardless, I always drill pilot holes, so I can be sure about that one. Good luck , Mike.

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    Default Re: Stewmac router binding jig - experiences anyone?

    There are coarse screws for endgrain. I think designed for particleboard, so search that, but glue should be fine because there’s a lot of area. If still concerned, corner blocks and small angle brackets.

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