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I have several of the stew mac binding router bearings. I have 4 in a bag with the sizes written on the bag. From the relative size I can figure out what they are... But, I have 2 in another bag that I failed to write the sizes on. Is there a way to determine the size of the bearing (relative to the corresponding size of the binding) without cutting a test on scrap first?
Thanks,
Steve

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

The rebate depth of cut is half the difference in the diameters of the bearing and cutter. So if the bearing is 20mm in diameter and the cutter is 25mm diameter the rebate it will cut is 2.5mm deep.

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Trevor Gore, Luthier. Australian hand made acoustic guitars, classical guitars; custom guitar design and build; guitar design instruction.

http://www.goreguitars.com.au

Once you figure it out (Trevor's suggestion is good) make one of these. You'll never need to guess again.

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Stew Mac lists this information on their website per bearing. Just use calipers to measure the diameter of the bearing and look it up.

I strongly suggest taking 5 minutes to make up a sample stick on the router table containing a couple of inches of the actual rebate produced with each bearing. This makes it easy to test fit your actual binding/purf combo to the right bearing. And store them on a bolt or as Rod shows, rather than rattlin' around in a bag.

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Dave
Milton, ON

Another vote for taking 2 minutes and making a storage rack for them. Mine is a simple 1" stick with finishing nails holding the bearings....

When in doubt, always make a test cut. Really, how much time does that take to make a test cut and check it against your binding/purfling(s) versus the time it would take to "recover" from having used the wrong bearing? I -still- make a quick test-cut, every-single-time, before the router goes near the instrument.

I have every intension to make test cuts before cutting my binding channel. I have just been lax about making up a rack of some sort to store the bearings. Thanks for the info guys. I knew I could count on you to set me in the right direction...

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

I have every intension to make test cuts before cutting my binding channel. I have just been lax about making up a rack of some sort to store the bearings. Thanks for the info guys. I knew I could count on you to set me in the right direction...

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

Where did that set come from Rod? I think it's time for an upgrade. My 7 or 8 bearings are making my life more difficult than it needs to be.

Thanks,
Danny

That's the new Stew Mac full set.

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"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