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I built this based on some pictures in AL#75 of Mike Doolin's machine.
I'll start the cradle tomorrow.

Very nice jig Chris my friend and it looks as well made as humanly possible!

Thanks Hesh. I was going to make the base from 1/2" plexi but a 2' X 4' piece was $70 and I just got laid off last Friday so I figured I see if the 3/16" stuff I had would glue up and to my surprise it did.

Nice jig Chris. And too bad about your job! I wish you tones of guitar orders!

About your jig, you might already know this but when using a guide wheel (your bearing wheel in your case), the bit you are using MUST be smaller in diameter than the guide wheel. Otherwise the bit will 'dig in' the guitar when the side in not perfectly perpendicular to the sides instead of moving away from it.

I hope that's clear enough, if not let me know, I'll through in some drawings...

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

I based mine loosely off Mike Doolins as well. But incorporated a vacuum carriage.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Chris - you went ahead and did it! - Just using the melamine and not the hinges?

You ARE the Florida Jig man!

Nice job!

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Mitch

I'm using a 1/4" spiral down cut bit. You can see it sticking out .050" in the bearing picture. So that's correct then? Bit less then Bearing.
No I used the drawer guides they were cheep enough. No malamine, cabinet liner plywood.
You guys think the shoe is OK and not to far forward? I figure I might have to tweak it some when I test it.

That looks good Chris. I like that you pulled one of these together that has the benefit of not being hand held and incorporates the adjustable guide.

John

Chris, that's nice - I need to build something similar pretty quickly.
John, any chance you have a photo of your vacuum carriage? I scored a nice vacuum pump when a previous employer went belly up and this looks like a nice way to use it. How do you adjust it to keep the guitar vertical to the cutter?

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I don't have a good pic but in this preview of my binding video it shows it VERY quickly... You'll probably have to manually back up the video to get an idea of it, but hope it helps a little. It's just 4 vacuum cups on a plywood shelf that is hinged to accept different shims to compensate for different thickness'

http://mayesguitars.com/binding.mov

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

Thank you John, that showed it just fine - although it was quick

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I made some changes to my machine as the weight was a bit heavy. I added a counter weight. and re shaped the bearing shoe to be more like a donut as to it's profile. It was riding a tad high when going down the taper on the back.

Here's the cradle. I used cabinet liner plywood and carriage bolts and washer wing nuts and leather. I like the plastic covered plywood because it looks clean and in this case slides easily. The leather I got for free from a MIMF birthday raffle I won. I think it looks pretty clean.

Paulick........Dude.....yer makin all of us look bad.




Nice.....

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There is no difference between the man that thinks he can....and the man that thinks he cannot.

I'm just trying to take the Art Of Jig Making to a new level.

Chris buddy, if you ever need a weekend away, you are more than welcome to drive up here and show me how to make jigs

You are the absolute king of jig makers

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Reguards,

Ken H

I just might take you up on that if I don't get back to work soon. I'm going to the HHO Games on Tues. and maybe if I get or build a unit for the car I'll be wanting to check out the mileage form water.

I like your new shoe design better. It looks like it will be more consistent. I'll be using a donut style on mine.

No one on MIMF answered so I'll ask here too -

When using these types of binding jigs with a bearing guided bit (e.g. stew mac binding set) I assume you make the purfling cut first so that you have a nice bearing surface and then make the binding cut. When doing the binding cut, does the shoe (or donut) ride in the purfling channel or on the top itself?

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http://www.birkonium.com CNC Products for Luthiers
http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

It will ride on the top if your donut is wide enough to span the purfling channel. I don't know about the StewMac cutter but the LMI cutter bearing is spaced below the bottom of the bit enough so that the binding can be cut first and then the purfling. That's why I placed my bearing as low as it is. I have enough room to route the binding and side purfling and still have the bearing guide ride on the side. There is a method to my madness you know.
I didn't see that question at MIMF.

Very nice jig Chris! I just have one concern. If you don't already have the ability to lock the router sled into you jig I would do so. There's a lot of power in that machine and I'd hate to see it walk across your guitar or worst.

Regards,

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Michael Lloyd

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

Thanks, but for it to do that it would have to break the bearing off. It's a tight enough fit and it isn't going anywhere. I just came in from giving it a test run on the back binding channel. It checked out great. But thanks for the concern. If I feel the need in the future it would just take drilling a hole through the the base plate and the support shelf and dropping in a pin or bolt but it really isn't an issue.