Official Luthiers Forum!

Can I ask someone a favor? If you have a current set of binding bearings from LMI, can I ask you to measure the ID of one of them?

The LMI site does not mention the ID, and I'm wondering if I might be able to use a 1" carbide rabbeting bit from Woodworker's Supply (a $14 item) instead of the $44 LMI bit, but still use the LMI bearings. I'm hoping the LMI bearings use a standard .25" ID, which means they should work with the Woodworker's Supply cutter.

(I'm sure the LMI cutter is a great cutter and might be a better deal in the long run for pros who do lots of binding, but for "small potatoes" guys like me, it would be nice to have a cheaper alternative.)

$14 carbide rabbeting bit at Woodworker's Supply (Part Number 819-612) which has a 1.00" diameter.

Thanks!

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Dennis........I asked LMI a few weeks ago (hoping to use LMI brgs in  stewmac cutter). LMI said they where 3/16" ID (after first trying to tell me they were 3/32" !?!)

Oh well....

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Dave
Milton, ON

Dennis,
Your timing is unbelievable! Just last night I tested this exact scenario. I took an LMI bearing and put it on this exact(819-612) rabbet bit, and it fits perfectly! Let me mention that this cutter is very different from the LMI cutter. The biggest difference in the 2 bits is how close the bearing is to the top of the cutter. On the LMI Rabbet Bit, there is about a 10mm gap. On the Woodtek bit it is about 2mm. This means that you will have to route the purfling channel first, or else the bearing would ride in the binding channel. So if you don't mind doing this, it will work just fine. Good luck!
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Excellent, Tracy! Thank you very much!

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

The cutter I bought from them 2 years ago is 0.1875 = 3/16. I am pretty sure that this is a custom made bit.
The fact that the bearing extends down a bit is a big plus- with my old Stew Mac set I made the mistake of letting the bearing ride up into the binding channel when I was routing for the top purfling. You will only do this once......

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It's not the miles ahead, it's the stone in your shoe


In Markham,Virginia

Tracy -
Are you ever going to be able to offer your set of bearings and cutter again?

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Sylvan
http://www.wellsguitars.com

sign me up too Tracy....

3/16" ID is standard for small flush cutters. They move to 1/4" when the bits get bigger. Any router bit source will have replacement bearings with the 3/16" ID.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Sorry Sylvan and Terry, my supply dried up, and it is impossible for me to get these. Here is a shot of the bit that I used to sell next to the LMI bit. My bit looks exactly like the woodtek bit except the color is yellow instead of blue. This gives you an idea of what you will be getting with the woodtek bit.
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Thanks Tracy. Thought that was still the case. Thanks for the tip Todd. I'll look into it. I've got the SM set.