I have no idea if this will help but I would think so. I use a Whiteside Lock Miter (a biggie) and I would think they are very similar. Try this link for instructions for the whiteside and see if it helps.
That bit is ‘fussy’ to set up. Get a lot of scrap and make some cuts and you will see just how it works. You will need a router table. DO NOT USE FREEHAND EVER! The router table will need a high fence if you cut panels. Once set up SAVE a hunk of cut to use a gauge next time.
Good luck and be careful with that thing! I love mine when I use it.
http://www.whitesiderouterbits.com/instructions.html
Replies
Google "mcls router." You will get the MCLS home page. (They sell router bits and accessories and other stuff.) At the bottom of the page it says, "Questions? Call toll free ...." Just above that line, there is a line of words in small blue type. One of the words--right above "Call"--is "instructions." Click on that, and you will get to a page with a column of choices in blue running down the right side. One of those choices is "Lock miter bit." Click it, and you get four pages of instructions on how to set it up and use it. I have used the smaller size lock miter bit successfully, but it took a lot of set up time and effort. I had the larger size one, but it looked scary, and I sold it. It would be difficult for a company to publish a set up chart, since there can be so many variations in wood thickness, even day to day for the same piece because of humidity changes. You have to set the height of the bit for each project you do, and the MCLS tutorial will be a big help.
Hello Joe,
I'll look at that one also. Hope Freud is reading this!
Thank you.
Bob, Tupper lake, NY
Hi Bob,I'm definitely reading it and I appreciate your comments. Instructions included with the bits is something I'm pushing for. If you like you can email me through my profile and I'll send you a set-up sheet for the bit.
Charles M
Freud America, Inc.
Thanks Will,
I will give it a look. Yup, the Freud is big also!
Bob, Tupper Lake, NY
They are very hard to set up - but check out mlcswoodworking.com
They are very hard to set up ?
Yes and no. Exact setup is the word.. Like ANY tool to work as intended..
I use one often but not every week or even every month.. Just when it fits my needs for project. I save samples for different woods I use.
I use a surfaced pine/poplar 2X4 and go for a fit to the thickness that will be the finished project size. I use pine or poplar because it is usually less expensive that the woods I usually use. Once you get a perfect fit with the pine or poplar or whatever you have. YOU MUST do a 'fit' on your sticks.. All woods cut a bit different so the final outcome my be a bit different...
Just me.. Take it for what it is worth..
A GREAT bit for panel glue ups. Everything aligned without any fuss! OK, hardly any!
Perhaps I need to work on my persistence! I end up planing my word a hair thick and then planing or sanding the finished product to the desired thickness. I have not yet been able to get then to the point that I can do finish sanding on them after glue up. They make a great joint and I am pleased with the finished product - will have to practice more and see if I can get it set correctly.
I have not yet been able to get then to the point that I can do finish sanding on them after glue up.
Sorry, not sure what you mean by this. A lockmiter should give you a finished corner.
When I got my first lockmiter bit I spent a few hours making setups for the common thickness of the materials I commonly use the bit for. Veneer plywood panels mostly and such. Once I got a 'fit' I marked samples for vertical and horizontal routing on the table. I NEVER USE that bit freehand. I've been called nuts but I'm not that crazy!
Links to 'look' at.
http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/lockmiter.shtml
Lockmiter videohttp://www.mlcswoodworking.com/orderstatus/html/smarthtml/pages/bt_lockmiter.html#lock_miter_video_anchor
I end up planing my word a hair thick and then planing or sanding the finished product to the desired thickness.
I make my 'word' a hair thick and no sanding over ever corrects it. Everybody in here pissed at me!
I apologize for my typo WillGeorge.
I apologize for my typo WillGeorge.
I just say I goofed again and leave it at that!
No hate here.. AT ALL! I love ya all.
Edited 8/29/2008 9:57 pm by WillGeorge
The key is to first set the bit height, and only then set the fence. Look here: http://www.woodshopdemos.com/cmt-lm5.htm
go here it will tell you how to set it up in about three passes
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/cmt-lm5.htm
I did the exact thing you are doing with the lock miter to make the quadraliner quater sawn legs found in many Stickley designs.
In the end they turned out strong and beautiful. Another poster gave you a website for setup that I found helpfull as well. Someone else mentioned setting bit height first and then the fence. This is correct and important. No matter what you do, if you want perfect joints, you need to fuss with lots of test cuts until it comes out perfect. Also be sure to mill all of you stock(plus plenty of pieces for test cuts) at the same time to make sure it is the exact same thickness. You'll also want to rout all the pieces at the same time as well so you don't have to go through this again.
The last very important piece of advice I can give you is to take the time to set up feather boards both vertically and horizontally. Its crucial to get a clean uniform cut. The bit will try and push the wood away with great force and trying to overcome this with your hand is both futile and dangerous! After all this run one more piece of scrap to make sure everything goes through smoothly and nothing is off. You may want to put a slight bevel on the inside edges of the fence surrounding the bit so the front of your piece doesn't catch.
I have also seen people set up sleds for this which seems like a good idea but I didn't use it.
Edited 9/27/2007 4:52 pm ET by gcg
Great advice. I forgot to mention about using the feather boards AND milling all the stock to exact thickness.
It has been a while, but if I recall, I think the first thing is to set the height so the line between the tongue and groove is in the center of the thickness, or said another way, half of the thickness.
Thanks for all the advice and information on set up. After viewing the first set up page posted, it was obvious to me how I needed to approach the situation. Probably the most difficult part was setting the center (height) of the cut, after that the fence (depth) was pretty simple. What none of the instruction sheets or information in the posts mentioned, and I quickly realized, is that you need to use auxiliary shims attached to the fence. The shims, mine are a 1/4" each, should be removed one at a time until arriving at the final depth of cut. All information I received prior alluded to making one set up and cutting all in one pass and, because of the size of the bit and the amount of material being removed, I was not comfortable with that. While I don't think it is up to manufactures to dictate how a cutter is used, in this situation, I feel that they should present the fence shim scenario or at least discuss making the cut in multiple passes using removable shims on the fence to arrive at the final depth of cut.
Bob, Tupper Llake, NY
I feel that they should present the fence shim scenario or at least discuss making the cut in multiple passes using removable shims on the fence to arrive at the final depth of cut.Dang! I should have mentioned that too! I use a Incra fence so I guess it wasen't obvious to me as when having to move a 'standard' type of fence.Sorry!
Bob, You are right, There should be a simpler writing of how to go about this, and it just dawned on me, that an easier way to find the height/center might be to just run a short scrap of the given thickness. Run it flat to the table. Then cut it in half, and flip one of them before fitting the two together to see if the top and bottoms come out level together. This is one of those things that shines a bright light on dyslexia. It is not that hard, but not that easy to intuit.
The best thing to do with a lock miter bit is trade it in on a biscuit joiner.
The vertical and horizontal bit exposure should be the same. Also, you do not want to reduce the width of the stock when the cut is made.
Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans .
"Life is not a success only journey." Dr. Phil
Sympathy (see no.10) and some notes on the cutter, no instruction however,
MLCS sells UHMW set-up blocks for its lock miter bit sets for only ten bucks.
You bought the wrong brand.
Navigate to this page and scroll down:
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/orderstatus/html/smarthtml/pages/bt_lockmiter.html
Edited 8/29/2008 1:36 pm ET by BossCrunk
You recommended the wrong brand. The setup blocks are free with the Infinity lock miter bit. Also the Infinity bit comes with an excellent instruction sheet with some important tips.
Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans .
"Life is not a success only journey." Dr. Phil
Edited 8/29/2008 4:47 pm ET by JerryPacMan
Cool. Never used them.
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