Official Luthiers Forum!

Hey everybody,
Perhaps you can help me out. I was going to purchase the Bishop
Cochran router base for the PC 310. However, the machinist that makes
these on the side for Bishop has family illness and they are now put on
hold indefinitely - it could be 3 months or it could be a year - he doesn't
know.

The other option I am considering is Microfence's base as seen here:
http://www.microfence.com/pages/Plunge/overview.html

You can get the Microfence for it to cut circles but from what I have read
on the website, only those over 6". In order to cut smaller circles, you
have to get their "center bar and outboard levelers". Quite honestly, I
think it will be a pain to have to put the outboard levelers on each time
you want to cut a circle. Also, I imagine those levelers might compress
the wood on a soft cedar top.

Any thoughts or solutions for setting up the Microfence PC 310 base for
rosette making without the levelers? I thought perhaps someone has
already figured this out.

Peace Out,
Simon

As a follow up, one of the reasons I think the Microfence is a better
system is the myriad of other uses for it. I will eventually get into making
some super high-end furniture and I can see the Microfence system being
a huge help.

Why am I switching my setup. Well, I currently have a Foredom set-up
with LMI's Roy Noble base. It does a much better job than a Dremel but is
a pain to setup, with having to hang the Foredom, the speed control,
etc... I have a very small workspace and I have found this setup to be
irritating at times. Also, the acrylic circle cutting jig that goes with the
base breaks occasionally, which I then have to repair. I worry that it
might break when I am cutting one of my mastergrade Adirondack tops -
that would be mightly unpleasant.

Simon,

I have the MicroFence and have used the levelers, they are not perfect but are quite satisfactory. Some of the guys have modified the unit by using a solid clear block to raise the base height, maybe someone will post a picture of it. The only problem I see with the leveler legs is that they fall off the edge of a smaller work-piece, that too can be resolved with a little prep work. I really wouldn't worry about the leveler feet dinging up the wood, they ride on some slick polomer tape and slide very easily. They also make a plunge model now which is expensive but very nice. Overall I would say that the setup is very slick and precise(I love the micro-adjustment ability), I think it is great and would definitely recommend it.

Cheers,
Greg

_________________
Gwaltney Guitars

i have been using my cochran base/dremel for about 8 or 9 years, and whilst the base is a gem, the dremel is less than satisfactory. so i have been looking at alternatives for some time.

the microfence plunge base is a beauty, but it does have limitations, one of which is that you have to have the levelers to use the microfence.

the end result is that you have a rosette cutter that cost something on the order of $600+. i'm having a hard time reconciling that with other needs.

There's several good designs right here on the forum. Not too hard to build. If you, or someone helps you make it out of aluminun instead of UHMW or birch ply, you can have a very accurate and satisfying tool. I would not be able to justify spending $300 for a couple rosettes a year. I'd PREFER one of of the Cochran models, but....

Thanks guys,
I just realized that the levelers will not work that well. In particular, the
way I cut out my rosette wood creates a less than ideal situation with
those levelers. Not something that is acceptable when you are spending
that kind of money.

I just got an email from a Microfence salesman who stated that the
levelers are the only way to cut smaller circles. So it looks like I am stuck
waiting for the Cochran base or creating a jig myself.

Thanks for the help.

Peace Out,
Simon

Simon, check out the jig that Tony Karol and others have built. Sylvan Wells has a page on his sit regarding how to build it. Looks like a very nice jig to me.

_________________
Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

Simon, I modified mine as the levelers were not a "plus" in my book. I had it drop off the side once which caused a little jump in the rosette (soundhole in my case) so I machined a new one out of aluminum. Really wasn't a big deal. Look for Tony Karol's design, it's pretty much the same as I'm using. Though I use the back side of the micro fence for spot-on accuracy in adjustment.

Here's a link to the thread where I showed the base I made.

My Karol / Wells inspired jig

_________________
Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Check out this link in the forum archives.

_________________
Don Atwood
Arlington, VA