Binding Jig

Made a binding jig yesterday, total cost about 25 bucks including the harbour freight trim router I got used off ebay. Made from scraps, some drawer slides. The router rests on a piece of angled aluminum and the plate on the bottom that rides on the instrument is made from maple and walnut. The thing has absolutely NO PLAY in it. Very happy with it. Will attach rope to a weight that rides in the back.

That looks really clever! I haven't seen anything like it.

I have to learn to route for binding... Someday I'll do it.

Sven

Nice. I am just getting around to putting together a binding cutter using a Desoutter balance arm. Its overkill for a uke but I am hoping it will make cutting channels in my carved top instruments much easier. What type of carriage are you going to use to hold the uke?

For some reason I misread the thread and thought you typed in bending jig. So I'm looking at these pictures and saying to myself. How the heck is he bending with a router!

Nice looking BINDING jig Vic

Hi Vic have you tried it out yet?

That is awesome! I'm lazy and ordered one from StewMac, but I still haven't put it together. It's been sitting in my office, waiting to be assembled for about 3 months. I do have a few ukes that are in need of binding, waiting for me to get that jig pieced together.

The binding jig is sweet, Vic. Do most people use a jig like this, or do they attempt it hand held? Are you doming your tops?

"hand held?"

Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:

"hand held?"

Click to expand...

I'm gonna take that as a "yes". Some stewmac router bits in a laminate trimmer, held on with just a finger and a thumb.

Great jig Vic!!! I've been collecting ideas on how to make the switch--my binding channels are not very consistent with a handheld dremel. I spend a ton of time making them so after .

Let me us know how well it works!

I like your approach to the tapered base plate, it seems more substancial than what most others do. Putting one together is on my list and I will be following your lead with the draw slides.

-darrel

It seems to me that you have 3 options..1, do it by hand (the hard way)....2 traverse the moving workpiece around the cutting tool ( Stewmack way)..or 3 traverse the cutting tool around the stationary workpiece (Balancing arm way)....IMO I think the number 3 is the best.

Moore Bettah Ukuleles said:

"hand held?"

Click to expand...

So if handheld gets four eeks it's making me think maybe it's time to make a binding thingamajig. Love the drawer slide idea, Vic, I'm sure I got a few pair somewhere.

Up 'til now I've been using a rabbeting bit on my 690, crossing my fingers and toes, and trying to be smooth and steady.

Thanks y'all! Wow! Lots of posts for the binding jig!

Matt, yep I'm radiusing the tops and backs so really I have no choice but to use a binding jig if I want the binding to look good, I have absolutely no confidence in my ability to use a hand held dremel rig.

Paul, yep I wanted the Stewmac jig but I had to build this ukulele dungeon on a budget so some things didn't make the buy list. I did however pick up the router bit and bearings set from SM... seemed like the best way to go.

Sven... check out youtube, type in binding jig, also you might look at Stewmac's jig.

Ecosteel, not yet I gotta get some bolts for the carriage.

Flyfish, that's what I've read from just about everyone who tries the dremel method... just doesn't cut it. Although a few people can and do.

Darrel, yeah I've seen people machine the part where the instrument rides on out of delrin and whatnot... just seems to me a smooth transition along some nice hardwood was the way to go... and a LOT easier.

I almost bought one of those swing arms off ebay a while back but decided to go this route instead, I'm cramped for space as it is.

Here's the carriage and some projects I'm working on. Loving the mineral stained poplar, the neck has a rosewood stripe. And yep, that's aromatic red cedar lol... why not? You can play and keep the moths away... and smell good when you're done heh. That spanish cedar neck is nowhere near done... just roughed out for now.

Nice Job...I've got plans to build one from a Plasma TV swivel bracket..What kind of cutters are you going to use ???.

Timbuck said:

It seems to me that you have 3 options..1, do it by hand (the hard way)....2 traverse the moving workpiece around the cutting tool ( Stewmack way)..or 3 traverse the cutting tool around the stationary workpiece (Balancing arm way)....IMO I think the number 3 is the best.

Click to expand...

I must say that I also think option 3 is the best. I have tried doing it with a hand held dremel with less than satisfactory results. I could never get my head around moving the sound box around the cutter so I opted to go with option three. There are plans available to build this jig but I was in the situation where I could afford to pay to have someone else build it form me so I had John at Blues Creek Guitars build this one. This was before they were available to purchase on his site. I just looked at the current price which is $300 US which will be pricey for most of us but the jig works great.

That's the ultimate setup there Dominator. Down the road that's what I'll have, including the Porter Cable router.

BTW I'm using your method for making radius dishes. You rock.

Timbuck said:

Nice Job...I've got plans to build one from a Plasma TV swivel bracket..What kind of cutters are you going to use ???.

Click to expand...

Thanks Timbuck. Using the Stewmac bit and bearings.

Actually I have the ULTIMATE setup with a deSoutter balance arm bought on eBay for £25/$40 and a little engineering from Timbuck/Ken... If you can get one of these they are the business.

Pete,
You once posted a photo of it from the side and above. Do you have a shot of it from below? Is it just mounted on a flate plate? I am putting mine together, but I am going to put a ring around the bit, similar to the StewMac carriage, to ride along the rim of the instrument. I'll be doing carved top instruments too, so I don't want the base to catch on the arch.