Official Luthiers Forum!

I bought John Hall's binding router assembly at Woodstock (well-built, sturdy binding jig - I'm excited to have it - and am now just getting around to cutting my first binding channels with it. If John's online, I know he'll answer, but I think many of you also have the answer. The laminate trimmer that came with it is the Porter Cable laminate trimmer and base.

Which binding router bit do I need and which bearing(s) do I need for cutting binding ledges for this?

I'll be using standard .25" ebony bindings that are about 80 thou in thickness. I dont cut two different channels for the purfling and the binding but rather use a backing purfling of the same .25" in height as the binding.

Thanks!!

You should buy the stew mac router binding bit for $44, and the 0.080" bearing for about $6. that is what you should do.

now...

... if you are interested in a bargain solution that worked for me ... psssssssst .... bub ... over here...



You can buy a flush cut router bit and swap out the bearing. I used this

http://www.amazon.com/Freud-42-106-Diam ... B00004T7IM

along with this

http://www.amazon.com/Whiteside-Machine ... B0007INF0M

for a 1/16" deep channel. 0.080" will be different.

_________________
"...you have to get over your strict adherence to your largely imagined notion of absolute perfection..."

I have the stew-mac set & like it fine. The LMI bit has a longer bearing extension, so the bearing rides lower on the sides. That's a good thing & may be worth the extra bucks.
I splurged & bought the full bearing set. I will probably never use the larger bearings, but it is nice to have them in .010" increments in the mid range & smaller sizes.

I have 2 stew mac sets and 1 lmi set. i think the lmi set is higher quality. the cutter on the stew mac wore out pretty fast. Carbide is not all the same . Both sets have the full selection of bearings for almost all the different combinations possible .

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

John, do you have the new Stew Mac bit? I believe they've made it of better quality recently...?

_________________
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

I like the longer LMI bearing. It allows you to cut your binding channels first and then the purfling.

_________________
It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I have both, and I like the LMI set better. For the reasons stated- a better selection of bearings
(at least when I bought), and more bearing area.

_________________
Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain

+1 for the LMI set. I have both LMI and SM and find myself using the LMI ones almost exclusively. They have more bearings = larger range of offsets.

Cheers,
Dave F.

_________________
Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

The NEW stew mac set is very similar to the LMI set. It now has the extender collar the same as the LMI bit, it has a long shaft just like the LMI bit and the full set of bearings actually comes with more options than the LMI set, and to boot it's less $$$.

So, does anyone have the NEW Stew Mac binding bit and bearing set or those with the Stew Mac set up just have the older version which seemed to be inferior to the LMI set?

_________________
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

Martin, great idea.
I never thought of that,
but I ain't the smartest tool in da shed.
That setup would give you .0625 " cut.
Hmmmm..........................................!

Corky What you need to do is measure the thickness of your binding material with a caliper,decide if you want the sides or binding a bit "proud" , then go to the LMI site , it will tell you the depth of the cut for each bearing,( with thier cutter head of course) I bought the whole set too, but will probably never use most of them . jody

Thanks, all, for the recommendations. Sounds like a quorum in recommending LMI.

Jody, that's exactly what I did on Friday. Router bit and bearing are on their way.

Thanks!