ukegirl13
Well-known member
Has anyone bought and used a "Microfence" in order to route out a rosette? Just was wondering if it is worth the extra mula. Thanks, Toni
, but I'm going to try and make something along the lines of the Sylvan Wells design to get some level of precision adjustment.
I wasn't able to link the exact page, but if you click on the small picture of a partially assembled body on the main page, and then select number 8 on the list of links on the page you arrive at, you will find yourself a step by step guide to cut a cavity for a rosette with a tack, a Popsicle stick, a razor blade, masking tape, and an 1/8" chisel. I didn't try it myself, but I think it's right out of cumpiano's guitarmaking book. So it could certainly work for you, and will cost you nothing.
http://www.sprucehouseukuleles.com/
Hi Toni
Welcome to UU. I've never tried the micro fence, I just use a modified stew mac circle jig. But I **have** recently seen a thread on a really purrty cat-uke built by someone named Toni, from San Francisco. Was that one of yours? Beautiful.
Steve
Yes, I bought a Stew Mac circle jig but it would only cut a minimum of 3". I'm not too crafty at modifying. My problem is I don't have a standard circle size for a rosette. Originally, whatever diameter I needed I would measure from the center of the bit to the base plate of my router and drill a hole in the plate. This would fit over a nail the same size as the hole drilled in the trimmer plate and I would twirl the router around . I know. basic, but I have so many d--m holes in my router plate and a lot of the time I didn't get them exactly right. I guess my trouble is that the rosette is not the exact size of the bit. So say you want a 1/4" abalone rosette which you could cut with a 1/4" bit but what if you want to add the .010 black plastic edging around that on both sides. So I guess what I'm asking is how do you cut a rosette that's different than a standard size bit. And yes, thank you for the nice compliment. I appreciate it!
Use fly cutters in a pedestal drill - much better
Use fly cutters in a pedestal drill - much better
All I did to modify the circle jig is to drill and countersink 2 holes a little closer to the pin. It works a treat down to about 2-1/8". I think it could be done to make even smaller sound holes. I can use a 1/32 to 1/8" bit and adjust to cut any size channel.
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Steve
Welcome Toni!
Talk about moola, you see the plunge base they offer? I could almost be talked into owning it, even at $400! (Well, maybe not.)
I love the precision that MicroFence offers. Are they capable of cutting such small circles? Maybe someone who knows will chime in. I've used a handful of circle cutters/rosette routers and they all have their drawbacks. StewMac sells one that's OK for Dremel tools but nothing bigger. A well made, fully adjustable cutter with tight tolerances made for a laminate trimmer would be awesome.
All I did to modify the circle jig is to drill and countersink 2 holes a little closer to the pin. It works a treat down to about 2-1/8". I think it could be done to make even smaller sound holes. I can use a 1/32 to 1/8" bit and adjust to cut any size channel.
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Steve
Any decent 3/16 bit will do it. I think Home Depot has 2 kinds of countersinks, the better one is worth the extra $.
Like Allen said, if I had to do it over, I'd go back exactly one inch and do some carving on the jig's slide, so I could do sopranos.