57 Year Old Virgin...

[DavisLee]

...at using a router, that is. I'm still terrified about using this router and trashing all the work up to this point (just got finished gluing the back on and everything looks beautiful so far). I'm in awe of what was just a box of odd parts 3 months ago beginning to look like a guitar.

Should I make a mock-up of a thin piece of wood glued to the top of a taller piece of wood and practice first? Having never used a router before, it seems like such a strange piece of equipment. Can anybody recommend a video clip that shows the very basics of using the flush cutting bit as well as the Stewart Macdonald ball-bearing Binding Router Bit and bearing set? Every clip I've seen shows the operator just ripping right into the job without showing any close-ups of the bit depth and bearing setup. Also, I am using the router that came mounted with the binding machine from Blues Creek Guitars. John, in your video you say that the plastic plate on the bottom already has the 5 degree angle in it (which I guess means we don't have to make the 5 degree wedge piece to rest the router on as StewMac shows in their kit DVD)...how will I know which way to orient the router to the work when moving around the back?

Thanks for your patience and understanding, again this is coming from a novice not only to guitar building but to woodworking as well. Good news is, have gone through quite a learning curve thus far in getting the guitar to this point (i.e. strange world of cauls, clamps, luthier chisels, etc.).

Should I make a mock-up of a thin piece of wood glued to the top of a taller piece of wood and practice first?

Absolutely.

-tommy

[johnnparchem]

I would practice with scrap wood as you describe.

Do you have one of John's binding machines or just the same router John uses with his? If you have one of John's binding machine you just need to set the flush cut bit deep enough so the bearing happily follows along on the rim (sides) . You can follow the cutting pattern in the stewmac instructions.

You will need to play with the router binding bit and bearing on scrap wood to make sure you are cutting the correct height and depth so the binding fits in the channel. While cutting the binding channel you need to make sure the rim is sanded smooth as the bearing will cut every bump or dip in you body.

You probably have a new binding bit and flush cut bit so if you set up the tool correctly the bits are sharp enough to cut cleanly.

[DavisLee]

Correct, I'm using John's binding machine that he uses in the video but with the Ridgid 5.5 A, 20,000-30,000 rpm router which it now ships with. The Ridgid router instructions say to put the shaft of the bit all the way in and then pull it out about 1/16" to allow for heat expansion (although for this job I'm not sure that's necessary). With regard to the cutter depth, do I just set it relative to the bottom surface of the nylon plate that John has mounted to the router (in place of the original metal one) and like you say, play with it on some scrap wood until the correct depth is reached? For the flush cutting bit that's used for trimming away the excess from the top and back, since depth of cutting is not a concern, would you recommend setting the height of that bit so that the midpoint of the cutter makes contact with the work, or should it make contact closer to the top of the cutter (again, I'm not sure it even matters)?

Thanks again for the tips!

[johnnparchem]

For the flush cut I make sure there is enough of the bit out to cut the plate and some more, I am not sure if it matters as long as the plate is in bit and the bearing is indexing against the side.

For the channel Follow John's video. I hold a bit of binding on the router plate next to the bit, I eyeball the height against the binding. Then I test on scrap and adjust until I am happy.

[DavisLee]

Thanks, that's a great idea of using the actual binding as a rough gauge to get you in the ballpark, hadn't even thougt of that!

[DavisLee]

Routing went great, thanks again for everyone's tips and encouragement...ended up making a practice board in the rough shape of the guitar just to get comfortable with the feel of the router and the universal binding machine while doing some flush cutting and then moved on to cutting the actual channels in the guitar (see photos). Only thing I'll note, is that the construction of the universal binding machine must have changed from that shown in Blues Creek's YouTube clip, as that one appears to have a boxier base platform (taller) than mine...no problem when routing the one side of the guitar but had to elevate it (see it sitting on top of my practice board) when routing the flipside in order to prevent the forward-most vertical steel plate on the binding machine carriage from gouging into the guitar (within the height adjustment limits of the provided guitar cradle).

[tippie53]

This is actually the Fleishman jig , I find this one my favorite and one I personally use.

[DavisLee]

Yes, it's the one I purchased from Blues Creek Guitars a couple months ago. Your YouTube demo of it was excellent, really gave me the confidence to do the routing. Followed your instructions completely, including your taping tips...so happy with how it turned out and will be using it on many guitars yet to come!