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Im looking at two options for doing binding. first option is to buy the IA Router Binding Attachment from Kenneth Micheal. or the second option is to build binding jig tower like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7q4CWUqnUU. if i build the jig the only difference i would make is i would buy the binding router bit from stew mac with the appropriate bearing for my binding. what should i do?

I got one of the KMG's


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which one will do a better job?

Can't say anything about the KMG but I had a tower and cradle and it was struggling to be mediocre. With the "donut" on the router base and arched tops and backs you never had a consistent depth, maybe a smaller donut would help but I heaved the sorry thing and got one of these, from Chris Ensor
viewtopic.php?t=45599 cry once

Not sure if you want to look at a 3rd option, but my binding jig will be back in production shortly.
You can find more info here http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com/products/binding-jig

And as you are in the US, now is a great time to be buying product from Canada. The exchange rate is heavily in your favour. The USD price you pay will be approximately 35% less than the CAD prices listed on my website.

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
http://www.canadianluthiersupply.com
https://www.facebook.com/canadianluthiersupply?ref=hl
House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
http://www.houseguitars.com

I would go with the Kenneth Michael set-up, or Josh's for the simple fact that it registers from the sides. I've had varying results with router bits with bearings that would register from the top. I built a jig that has my router register from the sides (much like Josh's concept, but way uglier) and I've never looked back. For me, the results are way more consistent this way.

Good luck!

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

yep -- wrong thread

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/

Wrong thread Ken

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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 have actually decided now to build a Fleishman jig. just orders all the hardware today.

I built this jig and find that it works really well. I used to use a "hand held" binding jig and this works much better...

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

Nice Steve. but that would take up half my workshop.
I recently made a tower binding jig to replace my earlier "agricultural" one. to save space and improve binding ledges.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

My favorite binding jig to date is the new LMI jig. The counterweight in the tower was perfect, the shape of the donut made sliding the guitar into the cutter totally stress free, and the ability to make height adjustments at the donut was also really nice.

I just wanted to downsize my footprint and simplify the process as much as possible. I was consistently taking an hour to adjust to cradle until everything was as it should be, and even then it was if-y. Maybe it's just me

I'm really happy with my jig from Josh House at Canadian Luthier Supply. Initially I thought the price was insane, but then I realized it's listed in Canadian dollars and that the move from my LMI jig to the House jig wouldn't cost me a thing. When the jig actually came, it was much nicer than I even imagined it'd be, and a lot of extras were included, like a gramil, fiber tape, etc. It's just a really nice set up.