Official Luthiers Forum!

Alan....The materials aren't that expensive for the Williams style machine and the Ribbecke style is even less expensive (set of slides and a little plywood). Of course you would need a cutter and bearings. StewMac and LMI make good sets, but perhaps a little experimentation with other bits and bearing combinations, or other modifications to the jig to use standard bits could provide a workable solution. Bottom line is that a good binding machine makes the job much easier and quicker and it doesn't have to be a big dollar investment.
I have both the Williams style and Ribbecke style machines, but use the Ribbecke style most since it takes less space. Once I get the shop cleaned up a little so I have more space, I may use the Williams style machine a little more. The only concern I have heard from anyone on the Ribbecke style is that some are not comfortable with moving the guitar body, so they prefer moving the "crane" of the Williams style over the top of the body. That's not an issue for me, but either style will do a good job.

Tarhead, when you say keep the bit horizontal as Taylor does are you referring to his set-up for doing perfling? You can do that any time you want, but it appears to be his perfling set-up. You would still need a side indexed fence system for your binding. Both of those are simple to make. I use the side mount for classicals, and all the parts of the binding go in the same rebate. I just made a dremel supporting jig out of a few pieces of pine or something. Works fine other than the fact that the dremel is too light.

When you build the router base just be sure to develop it's surface so that it takes any soundboard doming into account.

I found this thread with a fancy side index cutter while looking up Fleishman jigs:

http://www.delcamp.us/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=37437

Gregg C, I thought that the Fleishman binding device was set to take over the binding jig market. But I see now that the Universal remains the dominant type. When I originally saw pictures of Harry's jig, I thought the guitar would be fixed, could be on a vac stand, and the jig would move around it. This could free up some space since there wouldn't be a need for a sliding table surface as with the Universal, and it would also allow the luthier some feedback from feeling the cutter in action through the router. I think the first teaser pictures I saw may have shown the whole router part suspended from the wall next to a bench.

http://www.luth.org/backissues/al69-72/71harry.jpg

http://www.lint.org/TechNotes/Binding%20Cutter.html

http://www.luthierscooltools.com/Dwgs.htm#Binding%20Jig

http://www.bluescreekguitars.com/catalo ... ge&pID=140

http://jcclarkukuleles.files.wordpress. ... -copy1.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~kathymatsushit ... trjig.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lan2pKWE1Do

Yours seems to be run like a universal in which case the whole jigged router arm is just a much larger version of the universal, and I don't really get the benefit? I never read the article in issue 71, so I don't really know how it is all supposed to work. And yours isn't the first I have seen set up like that. Would appreciate hearing your experience.

OK, I did some research finding all those links, and can see what people are doing. Still think the original Fleishman might be more my speed, that new jig takes up too much space for me.

Hey Tom,
I used this thing yesterday for the first time, I really liked it, very easy to use, kinda like
that link you found of the guy blindfolded...its that easy. As you can see in my pic I
purchased the DeWalt D26670 router, its smooth and quiet, a pleasure to use.
This is a beautiful setup !!
I was aware of all the permutations of this type of binding machine as seen in your links
along with plans to build one.
I needed to make my life easy so I saved my pennys and bought this thing,
I have no regrets or buyer remorse.
As for the space, yeah, it takes up a bit of room, that for me was a non issue.
Tom, you use this thing and you'll never go back.

Gregg

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Gregg

Guys,
Look at this pic, this is what I used to cut binding channels on my last guitar.
Now you see why I'm so pleased with my new toy.

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Gregg

Thanks Greg.

Looks like everything worked out well for you, Gregg. But seriously, a good binding jig is not AT ALL hard to make. I, too, work full time. And I'm probably going to build only a few guitars a year, also. I picked up a porter cable laminate trimmer for $90, paid $6 for a piece of scrap counter top, about $5 worth of hardware, and bought a UHMW donut from John Hall to fit my trimmer (he sells those too, everybody). I built it in a couple of hours and it works great. It wouldn't take a whole lot longer to build the Williams style jig.

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

Ya see, I had no idea I could buy that donut from John !!
Anyone wanna buy a nice binding machine ??

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Gregg