| Project by bilsborough | posted 513 days ago | 1093 views | 3 times favorited | 15 comments | ![]() |
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I made this jig for cutting the binding rabbet on a guitar I was making.

Because of the radius on the top and back of a guitar it is difficult to cut a square rabbet. This keeps the router bit square by riding a sled attached to a slide guided by a bearing. The design is based on a machine from lmii.
The bit is in an old craftsman “dremel”. I didn’t have a trim router at the time. It is held to a sled made of 1/2” baltic ply left over from a cabinet job. The sled rides on two drawer glides. They are attached to the base. Which is half of the post and the base of an old craftsman drill press.

The bearing was scavenged from a box of old router bits. The 90 degree part of the bearing guide was a post in a circuit breaker box.
It’s beauty lies more in function than form.


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15 comments so far
teenagewoodworker
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2482 posts in 668 days
posted 513 days ago
thats very, very cool! thanks for sharing!
SPalm
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posted 513 days ago
Sweet. I love this stuff. Routing machines just fasinate me.
Did you have any trouble with that single bearing falling off the side of the guitar?
Good job,
Steve
-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon
tenontim
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1319 posts in 644 days
posted 513 days ago
I like it. You should have saved this for the contest. Looks like it was made from left overs. Thanks for the post.
-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com
thetimberkid
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1944 posts in 603 days
posted 513 days ago
Great work!
Thanks for the post
Callum
-- For wood working podcasts with a twist check out http://thetimberkid.com/
Dusty56
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3518 posts in 588 days
posted 513 days ago
Necessity is the Mother of Invention ! Great job indeed…I wish I was so inventive : )
-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .
TedM
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1845 posts in 632 days
posted 513 days ago
Neat tool. Would like a chance to see it in action.
-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com
scottb
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3402 posts in 1227 days
posted 513 days ago
Neat routing machine – was over my head at first glance and I had to study it for a bit… before I gave up on the thought of (eventually, maybe someday) making a guitar. I’d be more motivated if I played.
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
woodbutcher
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432 posts in 1066 days
posted 510 days ago
bilsborough,
Now that’s the kind of thinking I like! The use of the wire lug out of the circuit breaker box. I find myself using pieces and parts for something other than what they were originaly intended-only problem I’ve found with that is my shop is full of things that I should have discarded-but couldn’t because I’m gonna use them someday for something else-LOL You get my vote for this category of another mans junk-now that’s a real treasure.
Sincerely,
Ken McGinnis
-- woodbutcher north carolina
Dick, & Barb Cain
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7050 posts in 1199 days
posted 504 days ago
A very unique, & functional tool, & a great use of junk.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
Karson
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25871 posts in 1300 days
posted 492 days ago
Very inventive. Great job.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
DAN
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6468 posts in 883 days
posted 484 days ago
looks good …
where is the guitar photo ?
welcome to lumberjocks
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
Grumpy
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posted 482 days ago
Great job. Good luck in the contest.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python
stefang
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1656 posts in 234 days
posted 203 days ago
Thanks Bilsbourough,I’ve been looking for something like this as my son and I plan to make a guitar soon. I have been thinking of fastening the router on my drill press, but I might use your design instead.
-- Mike, American in Norway
Craftsman on the lake
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819 posts in 337 days
posted 176 days ago
Cool idea… Another way is to use a smaller router that doesn’t cover much of the guitar. and still another is to shave a shingle sized wedge of wood that is the pitch of the guitar back and attach it to a router base.
I’ve actually just used a standard router. Once you add the purfling and scrap it off the inside angle that it is glued to doesn’t really show as the pufling is scraped flush with the side and top of the guitar.
I do love inventive contraptions though.
-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful. http://web.me.com/deceiver6/Deceiver/Craftsman_on_the_lake/Craftsman_on_the_lake.html
Douglas Bordner
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3427 posts in 963 days
posted 176 days ago
Pretty cool!
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.