Official Luthiers Forum!

I would like to buy a jig for routing binding/purfling... if you have a favorite that is available, that I don't have to actually build, please do tell. If a special/particular router/laminate trimmer is needed let me know as well. I have a Makita laminate trimmer if that would suffice. Thanks again for all of your help.

Greg

_________________
Gwaltney Guitars

Look at the Jig section and the Don Williams binding jig. I forget who but someone is producing and sellin this system

Craig Holden makes a wonderful jig for cutting binding/purfling ledges based on the Fleischmann/Williams design. You will need a rabbet & bearing set from StewMac or LMI to use with it, unless you modify the unit per Dave White to utilize a spiral bit.

_________________
"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

How do I contact him, any idea how expensive it is?

_________________
Gwaltney Guitars

Greg-I just PM'd you!
Craig

Hi Greg, for my first guitar, i used my dremel with a binding router jig w/ parallelogram as displayed on Mario Proulx's and Kathy Matsushita's site. For the second I'll use my new PORTER CABLE laminate trimmer with the bearing set, supposedly makes routing the channels easier. Unless proven otherwise, i'll try this method.

Did the jig come assembled, ready to go?

_________________
Gwaltney Guitars

Mark at www.guitarjigs.com has a great jig. You can find info on his site and your Makita trimmer would work perfect with it (it is what I use). I am really happy with this jig.

Josh

_________________
Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

Greg, John Hall at Blues Creek Guitars (check sponsor links) also sells a pre-built binding jig. It is the Tom Ribbecke designed jig which is also sold by LMI.

_________________
Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

     The 3 designs mentioned here all do the same thing but approach it from different angles. While I prefer simplicity the williams design is more compicated but all work on the pricipal of keeping the bit parallel to the sides while cutting the channel. Craig does good work and both of us produce quality stuff. You need to make your own mind to which is best for your system.
     The williams and ribekke design use a carrage for the body and one you rotate the body the other you let the router go around.
       Ribekke's design was intended that way in the beginning but works better with the router post secured and the body roated. Either way I feel the best results will come using a good piloted bit system. I use and recommend the stew mac 1298. It don't get no better
john hall
blues creek guitars.

I will cast another vote for Mark Kett's jig. The difference with his jig and the others is that his indexes off of the sides whereas the others index off of the top and back planes. Martin and Taylor both used systems that employ the same principles as Mark's.

_________________
tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

...Mark Kett's jig is a take off of a jig designed by Larrivee, which they use in their factory.

Josh

_________________
Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

I personally like Jim Olson's jig and think I may build something like it one day.

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Keep in mind that Stew mac and LMI's bearings are DIFFERENT SIZES. The way I understand it, LMI's (or Tracy LeVeque's http://www.luthiersuppliers.com/ ) are sized to leave a margin for glue, and maybe a little swelling, if you can add that in.

I have the Stew Mac set. I wish I had more bearings. One day I'll buy either a different set, or scrounge up those special bearings. (I don't like using tape to shim bearings.)

After you get to building a few guitars, you'll expect more from your (expensive) tools, and it's cheaper to buy the better set than to own 2 sets of incompatible and "somewhat" redundant tools. I just don't like that part!Terry Stowell38713.9461805556

After looking at Mark's jig it appears that you would secure the router then freehand the guitar around the router trying to keep the bearing against the sides at all times, is this really how it works, and if so it would seem less precise than the others mentioned.

_________________
Gwaltney Guitars

Greg, that's how it works but it's still quite precise. I have shown pictures of my humble little version of this jig here before, check this discussion out (pictures towards the end):

binding jig

Pros: Adjustable for both width and height, any cutter can be used (down cut spirals work great), simple, cheap, small
Cons: Cut must be tested on scrap!

I saw a similar jig in use at the Martin Factory; they turned the guitar bodies around a stationary jig. Julius Borges has pictures of a jig that looks a lot like it on his web site as well. I don't know how it compares to the other more elaborate jigs mentioned here as I haven't tried them, all I know this works well.

_________________
Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Now I'm really confused, I guess they all work...decisions.

_________________
Gwaltney Guitars

Greg, I am not sure if this will help but I am in the same boat as you. I actually bought the Williams plan from LMI a couple of years ago but have seen the Larrivee jig (the one that Mark sells(guitarjigs)) in action and most makers in the western Canada area use that one. I will be very soon putting a jig to together and I will be using the Larrivee one. It takes up less space (a small corner of a bench) and is very accurate and easy to use once you get used to it. Mark's price is pretty hard to beat when you consider you get 12 different madrels with it!! It will probably cost me more to make mine than to buy his but I just like making things.

Anyway....

Shane

_________________
Canada

Shane, as I mentioned in the other thread, I think it cost me about $5

You can set it up FAST with some practice, but if you really want speed, build one for every binding / purfling combo you use and keep them that way!

_________________
Rian Gitar og Mandolin