Router Bearings

[Logan]

I have the complete Stewmac router bearing set and use a set-up from Blues Creek to do my binding and purfling. A few jobs well done, but now I need some help.

The purfling I want to put on this guitar is too wide for any of the bearings that come with the Stewmac kit (Ie., they need to make smaller bearings).

I was looking at the LMII bearings but read in another thread they aren't compatible with each other, and know from already trying that the Stewmac bearings are not compatible with other rabbeting bits.

What would be a recommendation for a good #2 set of bearings that covered the scope that the Stewmac bearings don't? Is it worth having the LMII and Stewmac bits? Or is there a way to convert the Stewmac bearings to fit on other bits?

[tippie53]

How wide ?
I also have this set for the few teener sizes that come up once in a while .
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Deluxe- ... hank/H5544
they have a few other sets that come in handy

[Logan]

The purfling channel needs to be about 7/32" wide.

[tippie53]

you should be able to get just the bearing from stew mac . Call them I bet they may help

[Logan]

Nifty. I was looking for something like that and couldn't seem to find it locally, so I just put three layers of painter's tape on the guitar itself for the bearing to ride on. Worked "ok".

Still on the lookout for a tinier bearing. Will eventually probably order the LMI bearing sets just so I have as many options as possible and see if their smallest is small enough (it claims to be fractionally smaller than the StewMac one, but I read somewhere that they were measured differently).

[SKBarbour]

the stew mac set is what I have. I was also looking for a smaller bearing to get a depth of .230".The inside diameter on the stew mac bearing is 1/4". I found a 1/4" x 1/2" bearing that suited my needs but would still like to find a better selection of bearing sizes. Let us know if anyone has a source for these.

[tippie53]

Binding is one of the fit and finish issues of a guitar. Find the system that works the best for you.

[tippie53]

It depends on what you are doing. One draw back to the adjustable binding units is that you have to stay tangent to the curves of the body to avoid pinching of the bindings. The bearing pilots are much more accurate .
Will it work ? Sure but there is still a lot of hand input . I agree that it is better than the dremel set up . Tooling is a personal choice and you need to look at what works for you .

[tippie53]

I have used this Ken from one of your customers when he came for a class. There are also many like jigs. They will do the job but when ever the pilot is not centered to the cutter there is a crescent area between the guide and cutter . You need to keep thing tangent to the curves to clear the channel.
This is a good entry level tool and you can always upgrade later if you have the need to. There is a big difference in tool need from 2 or 3 guitars a year , to 2 or 3 guitars a month.
Binding is the one part of building that will require a jig to do well . Find the jigs and tools that best fit your needs.

[Ben-Had]

There is a third type of jig that seems to do both - single bit, one infinitely adjustable bearing for both height and depth and keeps everything parallel with a donut that rides on the top and back.