Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum

Because of the interest shown in binding jigs here of late ,I've put together a few pics of my jig I made a few years ago ,

I got my basic idea from the Jim Williams book ,but have made a number of changes. Arnt has one similar as well.

I have stuck with my dremel as the power source ,so as to not make it too top heavy. Despite what others have said , I find it to have ample power for the job , but do it in two passes , and follow the Stewmac cutting directions ( on their site.)

I also have the power cord hung from a ceiling hook so that the unit isn't being pulled from any direction.

I use the bit shown for the binding ledge , but change to an 1/8 " spiral downcut for the purfling ledge ( shellac the soundboard edge first too! )

The donut piece I've eventually decided on is small enough to not alter the depth of cut ( about 1 1/2 "), yet wide enough so I can still feel the unit to be registering upright . With a very small donut , you can easily tip the thing. I have also chamfered the front of it enough to clear the the top/back radius.

This unit utilizes half of the Stewmac router base which I simply unscrew when required . It is micro adjustable in hieght, thanks to Stewmac and also micro adjustable in cutting depth . I undo the four hex head screws on the underside of the unit , then adjust the aluminium mounting plate (which rides on the mahogany base ), to or fro with the adjusting wheel at the end of the unit . Relock the 4 hex head screws

For the purpose of the pictures ,I've used my already bound guitar as the subject


Hope this helps out some of you guys !


Cheers, Craig Lawrence

To hold the guitar steady and yet leave enough clearance for the bearings to register against the sides , I have made this platform which holds the instrument very firm:







To complete the ledges at the neck pocket end , and on tight cutaways,I use this Sloan purfling cutter.





Cheers , Craig Lawrence

Craig,

All of the stuff you have made, every jig, tool, component, guitar, what ever, that I see you post, looks like it is come straight from the pages of a ritzy fine woodworking mag.

Man your one shithot craftsman.

For those who have not have the opportunity to see them before, could you please show us your thickness calipers.

Cheers

Kim

WOW WOW WOW

Love that binding jig Craig, looks great and well made too, really easy to manipulate!

Neat guitar holder too, thanks for sharing those nice pics!

Ok , thats it I gotta gets me a spirit level for mine...

wow that is a seriously well designed and made looking jig Craig. Certainly something to aspire to .. Thanks for sharing that..
If my makeshift beast is not up to the task I know where to look for the next model

O.K Kim ,here it is for those who haven't seen it before. My over the top thickness caliper. Mad ! ,I know , but it works flawlessly and I can recalibrate it should it be required. (Haven't so far )





There's actually much more function to it ,than meets the eye , but too lengthy to go into at the moment



Craig Lawrence

Great workmanship as always Craig.

Grant , forgive me please, I wasn't trying to upstage you here . Just thought it may be helpful for yourself and Graham W


Cheers Craig

Craig your engineering talents are only equaled by your exceptional building skills - WOW your jigs are real masterpieces!!!!

Grant , forgive me please, I wasn't trying to upstage you here .

Craig, well you sure did!!! What a outstanding piece of work!

You should be ashamed of yourself!

That is beautiful work, Craig. Maybe I should have been a piano tuner.

Ron

What Kim said!



Dennis

Hi Craig,

That is fully sick mate! (had to mix the metaphores, 12yo over my shoulder). The mounting plate and depth bolts are your own work right? Have you documented any of the dimensions type stuff? I want one!

Repeat all of the above for the caliper, just add "love the guitar" adds that touch of class,

Sebastiaan

Cheers everyone , much appreciated .

Billy ,your Avator cracked me up !!


Here's some more pics :







The upper bout of the little guitar becomes the cam , and the lower bout becomes the counter weight . There is moveable round counter/counter weight on the indicator arm. Aluminium ,Brass, Copper for the scratchplate etc. and bronze for the slide






I made this from a copper pipe I split open . Scribed and filled. It's in Millimeters

That's just too cute and too clever, Craig. Very impressive.

Ron

Extraordinary, blows me away every time

Cheers

Kim

Graham, this isn't the photo I was looking for, but it gives you the idea.



This is one of Jim Olsen's creations.

Wow, Craig. If your guitars are half as good as those jigs, and from the photos it looks like they are, then they'll be absolute masterpieces!

Graham W

Outstanding man!!!! Those calipers are off the charts!!!

Thanks for the pictures of the binding jig. I'm going to build one too and I was looking at a system that registers from the side... Very well done!

Thanks a heap Alain.

If I can be of any help ,when your building yours , please ask away !

Cheers mate , Craig

I was wondering... What is that 'knob' you have for the micro adjustment... It sure looks cool!

Alain,,,,,, Don't laugh now !

From memory it was a piece of brass scrap off something ?? . I tapped a thread in it,, locked a threaded shaft in it with 2 nuts,and 'turned ' it with a file on my drill press ( like a lathe). I partly filled the rebated part with blackened epoxy to lock it on the thread ( and look cool ! )
Please let me know if you think I'm going ( or have gone ) insane

Cheers Craig

Billy ,your Avator cracked me up !!

I knew the Ozzie would appreciate a little gallows humour.... so to speak!

Craig man, i mean WHEW HEW HEW HEW! What a nice caliper!

I wish i had one fraction of your skills man, i'm sending you a reporter for an interview, we gotta have this on film, way too neat brother!



Lillian, thanks for that pic, i'll see what i can come up with, still got a pile of junk here that needs to be used intelligently!