# 1/2 lock miter router bit



## lanwater (May 14, 2010)

Thanks for the review. I have looked at those but never bought one. Now I know they work.


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## Chip (Mar 13, 2007)

Interesting. I might give this a try. Thanks for taking the time to review.


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## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

Agreed. Thanks for that info.

On a similar note, I just posted a thread about a glue joint router bit that … I guess … is in the same general category as your new bit:

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/21207

You might find my brother's suggestion … about making UHMW setup blocks for various thickness wood … helpful, too !


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## childress (Sep 14, 2008)

Well, lucky you….I bought one of these and spent to better part of a day trying to get the miters to align. I kept thinking it was me. Then I noticed that the router bit wasn't cut right. After returning it and getting a rockler one, I realized it WAS the bit because I had no problem with the new blue one 

On the skill one I bought the parts on the cutting edge that's 45 deg were not the same or in the same line, that is. Not really sure why mine was shaped wrong. You would think they did it all in one shot… I don't know.


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## Randy63 (Jun 25, 2010)

I agree about lock miter bits in general. They're made by several bit manufacturers and most offer two sizes a standard size and a smaller one sometimes named baby lock miter bit. Both are terrific and since I generally use box sides of 3/8 and 1/2 I buy the baby lock miter. You are right the intial setup does take some time and some tweaking, but once setup and you've make some setup blocks it's very easy to repeat the setup. The use of the bit provides excellent gluing surface for a box and totally eliminates the use of miter splines which sometimes are quite detracting from a boxes beauty. The use of dedicated sleds does help with their use.


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## docholladay (Jan 9, 2010)

As the guys above have already mentioned. Setup blocks are the way to go. Once you get the setup correct for a particular thickness of wood, take the time to run a scrap through and save it to help with setup next time. It will make things go much quicker. Also, on your setup block, be sure to make notes of any specifics about fence setup, router speed, and any other pertinent details that may be important. It will save you a lot of trouble and time the next time you use the bit.

Then again, you may be like me, the next time you use that bit, you won't be able to find the setup blocks that you made. Ha! Ha!

Doc


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## Viking (Aug 26, 2009)

Edward;

Most of the Rockler lock miter bits have a matching set up jig for less than $8. I am sure other bit manufactureres have them also.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10247&filter=lock%20miter%20router%20bit

Good luck!


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## Rob_n_Wood (Mar 25, 2009)

I have been Looking at these also. Has any one tried the ones from MLCS
here are the ones they offer, I like previous post was looking at the smaller one

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bt_lockmiter.html


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## sandhill (Aug 28, 2007)

I also got one about "gee a long time ago", tried and it was a disaster on red oak so I put it away. About 3 weeks ago I pulled it out again and gave it another try because I will be making some legs for an arts & crafts bet and want to have the grain show up in the sides as well as the face. It worked great you just have to play with it and do a few practice runs. Its all in the lay out and set up.


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## MGoBlue7 (Sep 23, 2010)

Hi Edward,

Just another thought to help with tearout on the end grain cuts: use a piece of scrap to support the "open" edge of the board where the bit exits the workpiece. In other words, the scrap board will butt up against your workpiece so that as the bit finishes cutting the workpiece, it immediately starts cutting the scrap. The scrap board will support the workpiece so that the pieces that would otherwise splinter off are not allowed to move. 
This procedure will prevent you from having to feed the workpiece into the bit in the opposite direction, which can be potentially dangerous.

Thanks for the review on the locking mitre bit!!!


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## Holt (Mar 15, 2011)

Another tip for handling tear out, leave the pieces extra wide and cut to final width after cutting the lock miters…


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Careful running boards backwards (climb cut) through the router table. 
Full thickness pass + climb cut = very dangerous situation. 
Try using a backer block instead to limit chipout. Or you can start with an oversized workpiece, and trim it to length after the router cut.

Good luck and stay safe.


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## BilltheDiver (Jul 2, 2010)

For fine tuning the bit height adjustment, cut an edge on 2 scrap pieces of your stock, then place 1 on the table as cut and flip the other upside down. Bring the two pieces together and you will see exactly how far off you are. Make your adjustment exactly 1/2 the offset. Also, if the flipped piece needs to go down, so does the bit and vice versa.


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