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Well, I just received my StewMac router base and circle cutter jig and thought I would post a quick review for anybody interested. First off, the tool is very sturdy and solid. I use a Dremel XPR mounted in the base and was able to get perfect circles every time. The jig rotates on a 3/16 pin which holds the unit very secure during the entire process. I was trying to push the jig to get the unit to wander, and short of breaking something, I wasn't able to get it to move. I used a 3/32 spiral downcut bit and received perfectly trimmed sides and bottom. There is a micro-adjust for the depth of the cut, however there is no micro-adjust for the circle size. For $31 bucks I guess you can't have it all. Overall this is a very good setup and is the first time I've been able to get such consistent, nice results. I plan on using it this weekend to install 3 homemade rosettes I'm making, two of which will include tiles and ropes I made from scratch. I'll post more results after I get the rosettes installed.

Cheers!

John

Thanks for the review John.I've got one of these I haven't used yet. Do you need to go in a particular direction to route out the channels?

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

I've got one of these circle cutters that I have adapted to take my Laminate Trimmer, mine is about 3 years old and the only thing I would add is just make sure the adjuster is nice and tight, I nip mine with pliers.

Dave you can cut in either direction I find it more controllable to go Clockwise, which is essentially a climb cut, but on certain parts I move Anti Clockwise too.

    I have the same cutter , but I adapted mine to the high speed die grinders. Good little device but I agree the adjustment can be better. I have a few ideas and will let you know if I build a better mouse trap.
john hall

[QUOTE=RussellR] I've got one of these circle cutters that I have adapted to
take my Laminate Trimmer. [/QUOTE]

Russell, what laminate trimmer do you have? I have a DeWalt which round
base I modified to cut rosettes (I drilled holes on the round base), it seems it
woudn't be too hard to modify the StewMac tool as it seems infinitely
adjustable.laurent38729.3419560185

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

I couldn't get the adjustment to stay tight on mine at all with that thumbscrew, even if I cranked on it a bit with pliers. I was pretty disappointed initially.

I stuck some 600 grit sandpaper to it with spray adhesive and now it stays tight and works great.

letseatpaste38729.3764699074

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

Jon, neat trick I'll try it on mine. I've used mine for about 5 years now and have been pleased with it, especially since I got the new 400XPR Dremmel (a quantum leap better than the old multi-pro).

ColinColin S38729.3895833333

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

Hi Laurent

I have a Makita one it has a small square base.

I just made a little perspects spacer that goes between the base and the circlw cutter to allow it to miss the pin for tight radiuses.

Me and my dremel don't get on

Is it possible to replace the 3/16" center pin with a 1/4" one?

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

[QUOTE=Michael McBroom] Is it possible to replace the 3/16" center pin with a 1/4" one?

Best,

Michael
[/QUOTE]

sure but you would need a new bushing to match and it would require dilling out the existing bushing.

The tool is well designed. I believe the only complaints I have ever heard about it were really related to bearing issues on the Dremel used.

I agree with John that the Multi-Pro's bearinig were nutorious for run out after very little wear. I have gone to a Foredom and like it even better. I also have a new 400xpr and it is much better than the multi-pro, but time will tell on how fast the bearings wear.

The thing I like really about the Foredom is the light weight imposed on the fixture I feel like I can feel the cut better not having the weight of the motor on the fixture.

To go to 1/4" you'd have to widen the slots, too... And then replace those two 3/16" guide pins that keep the slots parallel, too. Seems like you might as well make your own at that point.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

I have the StewMac router base and made my own circle cutter jig using the router base. I've done all my rosettes with this tool and have been very happy with it.
The depth of cut does tend to loosen up so you have to be aware of that fact. The adjustment side without the springs is usually the side that loosens so you can be creative and come up with solutions. I make templates
in scrap birch ply for every rosette before I route the soundboard, that gives me the ability to double check
the size and the template makes for a quick set up if I use the same pattern again.

I've used this same setup but with the Black & Decker RTX in place of the Dremel motor. I'm also haooy with it.

I generally use 1/16" and 3/32" carbide bits. My only frustration is with the 1/32" bit that Stewmac sells...they break so easily and at $15 each it gets expensive. Does anyone know of a source where I can get these cheaper?

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

It's pretty 'n all, but I think I'll stick to my 'holes drilled in a baseplate for my laminate trimmer' solution for now :-)

JJ,

I busted two of them working on a bridge last summer. I e-mailed StewMac and they sent me two replacements free of charge. Maybe you can shoot them an e-mail and see what they do.   

Cheers!

John

Michael, you mentioned that you use a Foredom now. Do you have a picture of the base you use for it or do you use the StewMac one? The reason I ask is that I am in the process of designing a new base for mine for inlaying and attaching to a Rosette cutting jig that I am designing.

I went to the local woodworking tool store to check otu the available rotary tools to replace my old dremel. All of the ones they had there (dremel multi-pro, 400XPR, and Black & Decker RTX) had bearing travel side to side at least more than I would expect in a new tool. These were demo models so perhaps they have had some rough treatment. How is the Foredom tool. I'm looking for something small to use for rosettes and inlay so I don't want to use a lam trimmer. The other requirements are power, hi or variable RPM's and a collet sized for dremel bits. I would rather have something without the attached drive cable and as far as I know that limits me to the dremel or the B&D models.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

[QUOTE=letseatpaste] To go to 1/4" you'd have to widen the slots, too... And then replace those two 3/16" guide pins that keep the slots parallel, too. Seems like you might as well make your own at that point.[/QUOTE]

Sorry, I should have made myself more clear. I'm referring to the pin that sits in the soundboard, which the Dremel and jig pivot about. It's hard to tell from the photo, since it's dismantled. Does the centering pin also pass through the slot?

Best,

Michael
Michael McBroom38730.4542476852

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Live to Play, Play to Live

[QUOTE=Anthony Z] Michael, you mentioned that you use a Foredom now. Do you have a picture of the base you use for it or do you use the StewMac one? The reason I ask is that I am in the process of designing a new base for mine for inlaying and attaching to a Rosette cutting jig that I am designing.[/QUOTE]

Sorry for the delay Anthony. I use the Stewmac base it fits the foredom hand piece or dremel. MichaelP38730.4830671296

[QUOTE=John How]How is the Foredom tool. I'm looking for something small to use for rosettes and inlay so I don't want to use a lam trimmer. QUOTE]

John it is perfect. more power, I notice no runout. smooth as a whistel. and light weight on the base means less effort in movement. This can be a double edge sword freehand but not a real issue with the tool.

[QUOTE=Michael McBroom]
Sorry, I should have made myself more clear. I'm referring to the pin that sits in the soundboard, which the Dremel and jig pivot about. It's hard to tell from the photo, since it's dismantled. Does the centering pin also pass through the slot?

Best,

Michael
[/QUOTE]

Yes, the centering pin passes through the slot (unless you're cutting a pretty big radius), it's not really oriented right in my picture. The piece on the right with the bushing for the center pin should be rotated 180 degrees. I'd have to double check, but I'm pretty sure the slots wouldn't allow for a 1/4" clearance.

Just curious, why do you want to use 1/4"?

Edit: This pic might clear it up a bit.
letseatpaste38730.4944212963

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

Hi Michael,

Yes, the 3/16" pin which everything rotates around passes through the groove in the jig, as well as the brass bushing. There is a little room to drill out the bushing a little wider, but not much. The groove which the pin passes through is exactly .250". You might be able to go up to 7/32, but that would be about it unless you widen the groove.

Good luck!

John

[QUOTE=letseatpaste]
Just curious, why do you want to use 1/4"?
[/QUOTE]

My hole cutter uses a 1/4" bit. Hmmm . . . now that I think about it, I suppose it would be possible to use this circle cutter to cut the soundholes, though,eh?

Actually, I built a circle cutter for my DeWalt laminate trimmer, which uses a 1/4" centering pin:





It works well enough, but I'm always interested in someting that might work a little better.

Best,

Michael

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Live to Play, Play to Live

I just recieved a made in China foredom copy from Craig Holden (CTH Luthiery). They are imexpensive and I was a liitle concerned when I saw the box. I haven't use it to do any work yet but in initial fireup it seems to run nice nad smooth! At $70 it might be worth looking at Craigs site above and talk to him about it as he uses it on his slotting jig.

Shane

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Canada

Let me know how it works cause I want one dedicated to my inlay jig and leave the another available for other misc. duities.