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I recently built a router jig that has the bearings that track the side of the guitar. The problem is keeping those bearings in contact with the side so the jig doesn't lean over towards the soundhole (which it did during testing).

My pea brain started considering the Williams setup but it's rather large for my shop.

I have been using routers for many years and if the base plate is resting on a flat surface there is never a problem with leaning or rocking. What is needed is a guitar shaped radius dish that could be double stick taped to the top to create a flat surface for the router to ride on. Then the standard bearing/bit should work perfectly.

Of course this is nothing more than a workboard which solves the space issue due to it's multiple uses.

Thoughts, comments, ideas?

Kurt
San Anselmo, CA

I've never heard of anyone doing this before. Clever idea.

Some difficulties you may run into are:

Your radius dish would have to be EXACTLY the same shape as your guitar minus the width of your binding/purfling.

Your rebate bits will have to be quite a bit longer especially if the guitar has a substantial arch.

Many guitars don't have a simple radius in the top with the upper bout being flattened.

Making this for an archtop instrument would be more work than I can imagine.

[QUOTE=Mike Mahar]

Your radius dish would have to be EXACTLY the same shape as your guitar minus the width of your binding/purfling.

[/QUOTE]

The bearing is a bottom mount so it rides on the side of the guitar. The real problem is having an exact thickness all the way around to control the depth of cut.

Kurt

That would not work on the back due to the taper.

Hi Kurt,

Check out the Universal Binding Machine at Blues Creek Guitars. It's worth every penny and doesn't take up a lot of room.

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Michael Lloyd

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I was born to privilege that I did not see ... I didn’t know it, but my way was paved” – John Gorka

[QUOTE=BarryDaniels] That would not work on the back due to the taper.[/QUOTE]

Good point Barry.

Maybe I'll just get a gramil. That will fit in the toolbox!

Kurt,

Another alternative is a binding jig like the one Mark Kett @ Guitar Jigs makes. It's based on Jean Larrivee's design and takes up virtually no shop space at all when not in use. I've used it for about three years and am very happy with it. The design overcomes the arch problem by it's very small contact area with the top or back. You can route the binding/purfling chaneels in either order, it doesn't matter. Mark has some good pics of the jig on his website and I think there are instructions also posted.

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Jimmy Caldwell
http://www.caldwellguitars.com

I haven't built it yet, but I've been 'noodling' and idea for a jig that would be an outside form with some spacers on its inside face between the form and guitar sides leaving a space of maybe 3/8". After scoring with Gramil and/or Sloane style cutter channels will be routed out of guitar by hand with a router plane like the Stanley 271. I'm thinking that I will need a separate form for the top and back since the back is profiled an arc, or the top and bottom form ledges could be matched to the top/back profiles, and then slide up/down and leveled respectively to the top/back.
Hope this makes.

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

The website for guitarjigs is offline...does anybody have a pic or link to a pic of the Larrivee design jig?

Thanks
John

Hesh,

This is a different jig than the one I'm using. I have pics at home and I'll try to remember to post one.

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Jimmy Caldwell
http://www.caldwellguitars.com

Here is a link that will work for Guitar Jigs.

GuitarJigs.com

Heck I'm too afraid to even try binding.

Philip

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aka konacat

If you think my playing is bad you should hear me sing!
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Kurt Check out my binding jig, it's similar to the guitarjigs jig, but not as good. It's easy to make and it works well for me. Others here have built some like this as well, Roy Ott build one the same but added a couple of cool features to his, do a search for his jig.

this jig cost very little to build and as long as you watch the "perpendicularity" of the body to the bit center, you will have cut a perfect channel.

Admitedly, the guitarjig's jig is superior, but it sounds like Mark is so busy that there are no new orders for some time. Personally, one day I'd like one, but for now, this jig works very well.

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Thanks for the jig info, guys.

One day I've gotta organize all this stuff I've printed!

John

I have a similar jig to Rods, I posted some info about it here:

Arnt's binding jig

Like I mention in the thread, I clamp the jig in a vice and rotate the guitar instead of the other way around, I find it is pretty easy to control the cut this way.   Sure it is possible to tip the guitar away from the bearings and make a deeper cut if you are not careful, but it as long as you pay attention you should not have a problem; it is not like this takes years of training and super human skills or anything,

There is a pretty good turorial of how they use a similar set up at Taylor Guitars in on of the “Factory Fridays” videos. Note that they cut the binding with a stationary side registering jig, and the purfling with a hand held top/side registering jig.

Taylor Guitars, binding part 1

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