Official Luthiers Forum!

I like a lot of the people here still use the Stew Mac Dremel attachments for cutting rosette channels, I've used it on about 25 instruments and will continue to do so. Many have now switched to a rosette cutter fitted to their laminate trimmer, but I have never felt the need for a 1hp motor to cut 1mm into spruce or cedar, and the runout problem on the older Dremels seems to have now been fixed.

You can cut the binding channel using the Stew Mac system including the edge guide #4324, but this is where the Dremel may have some trouble, so best to appraoch the channel in small cuts. It will also pay to attach a small wedge to the underside of the base to allow for the dome in the top and back. MOst here use a laminate trimmer either with a guide bearing or use the bearing guided bits available from LMI or Stew Mac. And, if your goint to build more than one or two instruments then you will probably want to build a routing jig of some sort. The Archives here ar full of infornmation on these jigs or go have a look at our very own Don William's web site.

Oh, welcome to the OLF.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

I have the rosette routing jig. The jig itself works well, however I don't use it with a dremel. I use it with my Dewalt laminate trimmer. This can be done easily enough by cutting a separate base for the laminate trimmer - but don't get me started on how hard it is to find 3.5mm machine screws!

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David White, Toronto

"All my favourite singers can't sing."

I bought one of the newer style Stewmac rosette cutting jigs to suit the dremel a few month back and have only used it with a downward spiral bit to cut deep grooves into some hard Jarrah Burl which I sliced into rosettes with the bandsaw ready to inlay.

I'm with Colin, the dremel and the jig performed well and whilst I have not done much else with it, I am happy enough and confident that it will cut a nice rosette chanel in spruce with no worries.

On the other hand, I think there are much better options around for cutting the binding step than with that little brass wheely thingamabob. But, if you first score the cut very gently and repeatedly going progressively deeper with a gramil before you even think about picking up the dremel and then, when you do, go very steady, I am sure you would not have been the first to get the job done well using their jig.

Cheers

Kim

i'll echo as well.
for rosettes i've had success with the dremel and stewmac circle attachment.
i don't actually use a dremel. here in canada we've got 'canadian tire' stores (hardware, household goods, and automotive stores) and their own name brand is $40 and works great with the circle cutter.
for the binding channel, i drove myself crazy with the stewmac stuff on two guitars before going to guitarjigs (one of our sponsors) and buying the right tool for the job. what a difference!!

phil

I use the Stew Mac rosette cutting attachment too. I think it works very well and is really nice since they added the fine tuning adjustment. I only tried bindings once with a dremel, I'll never do it again.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

I love mine though I use a high speed air die grinder. I use solid carbide cutters and avoid the down cuts. The chip can't clear and can cause you some trouble .
   A sharp cutter is paramount for a good end result in spruce. Especially adi or red.
john hall
blues creek guitars