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I was wondering if any of you have some suggestions for a recurring problem my binding ledges or rabett at the tight waist on my tenor ukes are always off by .030.-.040 which requires more chiseling ./filing/ sanding I/m getting tired of the regimen .Any of you out there solved that problem? . Not as severe but also happens with my CL gtrs. I am using a 3 yr old Luthier tools jig with a PC lam rtr an a 1/4in spiral down cut bit , and a makita older laminate trimmer with same bit and a ball bearing follower .. I have a cradle for a gtr using the older fleishmann/lmi setup with the ridgid router an LMI bits , but have yet to use it . Sides are usuallly flat to within .005 and less. My binding varies from .060 to .100 depending on the uke/gtr an the look I/m after. I rout on a rubber mat . Have not tried the cradle yet . Any ideas suggestions appreciated . Thanks

I use a stumac bearing setup and don't have that problem. I do route the channel 5 thousands deeper than the binding and bring the sides down to prevent any weirdness. In other words if I route a .080 channel I make the binding .075. I make my sides .080 so they are plenty thick.

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Michael F Smith
Goat Rock Ukulele
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When you say "off" do you mean it is cutting to deep or to shallow?

I can't say for sure without knowing the details, but the cradle may be your key depending on the exact problem. A proper binding setup if it is the cradle type, or a fixed jig like mine should give you consistent depth all the way around, including the waist. Something is out of alignment for it to be off that much.

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Josh House

Canadian Luthier Supply
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House Guitars - Custom Built Acoustic Instruments.
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I rout on a pad, it was .030 to .040 short of the target. too shallow not wide enough of a cut for the tight waist on a tenor. When I spoke to chris klumper of luthier tools ,he too mentioned using a cradle to hold the ukes . I would have to build a seperate one for ukes only. I will try the rabbet bits , and see what I have . I need a 1/4in one for the lam . trimmers. Thanks guys

My latest method is (drum roll!),
Score the side and top and bottom cuts with 2 hand binding cutters,
set up for depth and width,
then hog out material just shy of final finish, with a router,
then fiddle and diddle using scrap pieces of binding till it's right.
One of the hardest parts of luthierie for me.
Hate it, but love it when it comes out good!
Oh, I am using the minimal depth to cover the top, 3/16" or so?
Looks better to me!

We have a router for each cut, with the bit and bearing set for each cut. My accomplice seems to have also set depth and height stops on the carriage for the different models. Specialization in play, I guess, I haven't bound a guitar in about three years.

Thanks guys !!, I do score the top an bottom with 2 different types of brass/binding/purf cutters. Except for the luthier tools jig. which has the 1/4in downcut spiral with PC rtr and the makita, I am going to start using the rabbet bits with 1/4in an 1/2in shanks. Made a couple of test cuts in w. oak an the cuts look way cleaner than the 1/4in spiral down cut ,overrated IMHO. The only problem with the rabbet bits. Is getting the correct size bearings for binding/purfling. I would like to get more of these router bearings to vary the size of my binding/purf lines. To me consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. I like to fiddle with the dimensions to get the look I/m after on a particular instrument. If any of you can chime in on locating these router bearings . Please let me know THANKS!

Sorry, I'm too lazy to repost pics, but here's a link to a thread on the Underground, look at post #13 which shows an older model DeWalt laminate trimmer with the bearing foot. I use a 3/4" bit, and its basically infinitely adjustable.

How to make it better? Make your own bearing foot with a "zero-bar", shown on the 3rd page of the thread, post #24. I use the compact router for headstock binding, but will eventually make the same zero bar foot for the binding jig with the laminate trimmer. Yes, 1/4" downcut bit, and its badass!
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/sho ... -box/page2

Thanks aaron .I did the binding again on a tenoruke, and I now use the 1/4in dc bit and the rabett bit . thank you for link will check it out !!

Okay, time to not be lazy. Here's some pics:

Suffice to say, I wanted to go vertical, but I wanted to retain the DeWalt bearing foot so I wouldn't be "bound" by bearing sizes.
Also, its made with scrap Baltic Birch ply, so most of the pieces came from offcuts. Function before form certainly applies here.


Here's what the bearing foot looks like - I modified it for a skateboard bearing with another bearing spaced out to do it horizontally, like Taylor does it, but I like this way much better.


This is obviously mocked up, but you get the gist of where the bearing rides, where the top contacts, and where the bit cuts. I use a 5/8" or 3/4" bit, can't remember, but its the same size as the bearing.


The cradle is very simple, with 3 posts glued snug, and one that has a small piece of wood clamped to keep it tight. This is where its nice to have the parallelogram type of jig to extend the laminate trimmer out to clear the clamp as it comes around (I could affix a screw, but its good and easy as it). I have a small 1/2" spacer under the upper bout, concaved to match the radius for when the top is being cut (hard to see in this pic).


Sorry, I can't get the image of my new setup with the 1/4" downcut bit, with the custom bearing foot (as in DIY) and "Zero bar" that I use for headstock binding (its in the link though).

Oddly, I found the smaller bits to be not so good, so I went with the larger bit in the setup above, and it works well. I tried the 1/4" downcut in my new setup, and for some reason, I like it as well (maybe because its a new bit!).

Thanks aaron. I have a luther tools jig with the 2 bearings and a 1/4in dc bit Have not had gud luck with it, need to replace the ukes, from on a pad with a cradle. I saw one on UU thread that was posted. So that might help. I find it difficult to steer the LT jig on a small surface with tight bends like a tenor. The cuts are inconsistent at the upper bout an tight waist. Not so much trouble on a gtr. I tried smaller 1/8 and 3 /16 dc bits on a makita lam trimmer with 1 bearing , and they don/t work as well as the 1/4in FYI.

If the center of your guide bearing is not exactly on the center of the cutter, it will give different depth of cut as you moove the router around the guitar, unless you are able to hold it always square to the tangent of the curve you are in.

merci alain. j/espere que vous avez trouvez un autre emploi. Thanks for the tip. I have about 6 lam trimmers. could be?. I am now getting better results by using a rabett bit with the 1/4in DC bit. Will check this, I have a centering bit for the 1/4in collets