Cutting lock miters on the router table
Gene_Davis
| Posted in General Discussion on
I am about to do this, having done it before, but I want to organize my thoughts about technique before I get started.
Can you progressively cut deeper, beginning shallow, by moving the fence, and creeping up on the cut so the last is quite shallow? I recall doing this last time.
I recall that bit height is a very sensitive setting. Do any of you have tips or techniques for getting this right?
Furthermore, my bit has been used to cut about 200 lf of joint, in a mix of cherry and white oak. Can anyone speak about the life of a bit in this case? Sharpening one of these changes geometry probably enough to mess up joinery, and may be close in cost to a new bit.
Replies
MLCS has an online video re this bit.
I usually champfer the ends a little first. TS or SCMS
Gene:
Attached are pdf instructions for setting up the lock miter bit.
When I first used this bit (which came with no instructions), I had the devil of a time getting it work. In the end I marked a 45 degree line on the wood and then lined that up with 45 slope of the bit. Well it worked, but that is absolutely not the way to do it!
Since then I found these instructions.
Also go here for another view of the same approach:
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/cmt-sop-1.htm
Hastings
Gene on a router table I do just that. I make sure the bit height is friggin perfect before anything else. You can't obviously do a complete 45 on the TS or you'd cut too much off so I take a scrap with the cut in it (from the multiple generated in setting the bit) and mark where its safe, and zip some with the TS. Then 2 passes.
The trick, of course, is if you set your bit height, you've set the fence. I mark in pencil exactly where that fence was, and I save and mark the joint I was happy with and for the finish pass use both to make sure I'm back where I want to be. Frankly its kind of a PITA, and always makes me salivate over the big shaper tables.
Real trucks dont have sparkplugs
Gene,
I just finished doing this for some legs. I used Lee Valleys locking miter bit.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=30119&cat=1,46168
They have instructions online
http://www.leevalley.com/shopping/Instructions.aspx?p=51601
I hope you have a micro adjustable router lift. It took some time to get it setup but it worked great. I didn't remove any additional material before hand. I followed the technique used by Patrick Nelson. The article is in Taunton Press book Woodworking Techniniques.
If your a member you can look at the article here:
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesPDF.aspx?id=2435
Good luck,
Len
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