45* lock miter bit help

[Chris Ricker]

I was working with my new Whiteside 45* Lock Miter Bit (#3362) this evening.

Man, what a challenge to set up.
I'm looking for any hints for this bit. I figured out that I will be needing a sacrificial fence to help with guiding the piece through the bit when machining the vertical part and a piece of back up scrap for both parts to reduce tear out.

Are there any jigs out there to help this process out?

I really like this bit and would like to use it more in the future but find it challenging to set up.

Thanks
CR

[harry strasil]

from looking at the side view of the joint on woodcrafts site, the bottom of the tongue on A is the center of A. once you get it set use a scrap and run it thru and make you a guide to use the next time you need it. I would use a coping sled to cut end A.

[Walter Plummer]

We only ever used them to make miters on the long edges of stock say to miter up a table leg or a post. Are you trying to make a box joint with it? I guess it will work but I never even thought about using it that way.

[Brian Gumpper]

I've been working on a blog site for tips and tricks but haven't had the time to put much into. But, I have some info that may be of help to you. I chose the lock miter first because it is tough to setup.

I hope this doesn't break the rules.

www.holbren.com/blog

[Joe Scharle]

MLCS has a technical area that may help. I use the bit now first in a regular RT the the other edge in a horizontal RT, so my parts are always flat on the feed table. But I used to use my RT, and used a zero clearance aux fence. That in itself will help immensely when running the vertical pass as well as the horizontal pass.

[William Hutchinson]

I used that same bit on my last project. I can tell you what finally worked. Make zero clearance fence and table top inserts. You can't have any error routing the pieces and have it come out correctly. Rough settings are easy enough, this video show a good way to set and use this bit. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2323211353866234211#

I needed dead on accuracy and getting to the final setting required lots of testing. Have plenty of test stock the exact same dimensions as your primary stock.

Good luck.

[Glen Butler]

Setting up the lock miter is not too bad if you have the right tools. A digital caliper and a calculator. Once I got it the first time I wrote down the settings and now its a breeze.

I don't know how whiteside cutter geometry compares with the freud, but on the freud the first flat spot (tenon) is 15/32" into the wood for 3/4 material. I just zero the flat spot then raise the bit 15/32". The fence is then put the same distance as the board is thick from where the 45 intersects the table top. You should also cut some stock to support the outfeed of the lock miter so you are not relying on a razor thin 45.

[Chris Ricker]

Thanks for the info, I'll try again tonight.

Walter, I'm making drawers for cabinets (1/2 " BB ply)

[Al Navas]

Man, what a challenge to set up.
...
Are there any jigs out there to help this process out?..
Chris,

Sommerfeld Tools has the Easy Set Up jig that gets you really close to final setting, then you just tweak using a piece of scrap (I don't know if it works with bits other than theirs:

http://www.sommerfeldtools.com/images/EZSET_FULL.jpg

You select the stock thickness, place the jig right at the tip of the bit on the router table, and make your test cut. I was able to zero in on the final adjustment quickly, to make thick, Stickley-style legs:

http://sandal-woodsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/fence-stop-1.png


I think you would like this!

.

[glenn bradley]

Thanks for the info, I'll try again tonight.

Walter, I'm making drawers for cabinets (1/2 " BB ply)

Something I do when using a drawer-lock bit is to make a large "panel" of side material and a large panel or front/back material and them rip the drawer pieces from them. The large panels are easier to control and cutting the pieces from a larger piece of prepared stock eliminates your exit wounds.

Material control is key. Featherboards are a must on thinner stock to avoid even minor path deviation caused when feeding. As to height setting efforts; once I have a working setup, I just run a profile on a scrap of the same type of stock, cut it into a small setup block size, label it with a felt pen and toss it in the drawer for next time.

[Todd Bin]

I have the sommerfeld set up tool. It will get you close. But if you really want the simple explanation on how to set these bit up read the web page posted below. It is from woodshopdemos.com. He shows you a really simple way to get the setup perfect.

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/cmt-sop-2.htm

Scroll down the page just a bit and he starts explaining the lock miter.

Hope this helps.

[Todd Bin]

I forgot he had two reviews on how to set up the bit. Here is the "foolproof" one. You can read the other one but this one is better.


http://www.woodshopdemos.com/cmt-lm5.htm

[Chris Ricker]

Well I got one drawer done, but it was a long night. good thing this is a prototype.

Thanks everyone for the info. I think I used a little from everyone.

I had to make a quick jig for the vertical ones, nothing fancy bit it worked.
I found out that my router table insert(Plastic) was deflecting a little as I passed the horizontal pieces through causing the cut to be off a touch.

I think I'll be working on a better jig for this process as its not as easy as I thought it would be. but what is?
Thanks again
CR

[Jerome Hanby]

I've been working with the Woodcraft version of the lock miter. I built a tall braced fence out of MDF for the piece that you run through vertically. Setting the bit height is what killed me. My current router table setup just doesn't have adjustment fine enough to dial it in (Hitachi KM12V fixed base, router turns to set height). So, I bought the Freud 3000VCE/precision router table combo from Woodcraft. Got a good price, basically got the table and most of the fence free. Has to pick up some replacement 6mm screws to mount the router to the plate (two of the mounting holes on the router were too shallow for the supplied screws). From all I've read, the above table adjustments should be just what I need to get this bit to work. You can bet once I've got it dialed in, I'll be making a pair of setup blocks for next time.

I'll be following the procedure outlined on woodshopdemos to get it set up.