Lock Miter Router Bit & Infinity Tools Lock Miter Set Up jig

[George Bokros]

I have a post ~3" thick to make for a bathroom remodel. I prefer not to laminate stock because you invariably see the joints when viewing the side that has the stock edges.

I know lock miter bits are the pits to set up to get nice corner joints. Infinity Tools have set up jigs for setting the bit height and the fence position. Has anyone tried the Infinity Tools bits and set up jig, if so is it as easy as the video on the website portrays? What are you thoughts and opinions on the set up jig? I know the set up jig is prices at $30 but if it works it is worth it.

Anyone with thoughts and opinions on lock miter joints in general?

Link to the set up jig: http://www.infinitytools.com/Lock-Miter-Master-Jig-For-Bits-Cutting-3_8-3_4-Stock/productinfo/LMM-002/

Thanks

[Cary Falk]

Instead of buying the bit and jig have you thought about just 45ing the sides and use a spline or biscuit to hold it in place during glueup? I use biscuits and it works so easy that I haven't used my lock miter bit yet.

[Johnnyy Johnson]

Sommerfeld Tools has a DVD/Youtube setup clip to view. I lost my copy of it, and having trouble locating it again. It came with his yellow plastic jig that shows about 6 or 8 bits and how to set them up...Hope this helps.

Johnny

[Peter Froh]

Bought and used it with my Freud bit. First attempt was near bang on. Well worth the money.

[Johnnyy Johnson]

Hi George..
I looked at the link you posted and like it better than the Sommerfeld jig. Do they have one for the 45 / 22.5 degree locked bit?
Thanks Johnny

[John A langley]

I bought The jig and it does work first time I had to do a little tweaking , I used to make table legs

[Alan Schaffter]

I hope this doesn't violate forum policy. I am a bit prejudiced, but I think the Lock Miter Master works fantastically. I am the inventor and licensed it to Infinity.

I was planning to build a bookcase and for reasons similar to yours, I wanted to use a lock miter joint. I had the bit. It had never been used and was gathering dust in my drawer for years. It was big and I was intimidated. I had read all the horror stories about setup. Plus, none of the setup instructions provided by bit manufacturers and in woodworking magazine articles seemed clear or simple. Most actually devolved into a lengthy trial and error process. After further research and analysis I discovered many were just WRONG! So, I set about to find a better way. I truly believe I did! A crappy prototype even worked great! During design refinement I added some features that allow it to do things few if any other setup jigs or instructions allow you to do- like easily set up a lock miter when the thickness of the boards on each side of the joint is different (some instructions even say it can't be done!). The Infinity website description has a link to a rather extensive manual that explains it all.

Thanks Peter and John. There are a lot of great reviews of it out there. There are two by two of the major woodworking magazine tool reviewers I especially like- both got great joints on the first attempt.

To Johnnyy- not yet :) :) :) Actually, new router bits that don't need a jig for setup. I designed single bits that will replace the two bit sets currently need to make lock miter joints when building 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12 sided boxes. I hope to license this design either to Infinity or some other manufacturer like Whiteside.

Oh, I finished the bookcase. Here are two pics of the lock miter joinery- in the first pic you are looking at the intersection of 3 lock miter joints between the birch ply top and side and between the top and sides and the maple faceframe. The second pic is a closeup of a joint between the birch ply and maple faceframe. The bit was set using an early prototype of my jig.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/2580/medium/IMG_4439.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/2580/medium/IMG_4435.JPG

[Bill Huber]

I have both of them and love them, they work and in almost every case they work the first time and if things don't line up it is because I didn't get the center marked right or something like that.

Here is my post when I first got them.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?203431-First-use-of-Infinity-Lock-Miter-Router-bit-setup-tool&highlight=Lock+Miter

[Rich Engelhardt]

George - get real good with that jig -- then you can teach me how to use it!
:D
LOL!

[Brett Luna]

I recently bought and used the LMM and infinity bit for the first time, to make a newel post. I was quite pleased with the results. Now I have to buy the smaller combo.

[Peter Froh]

I hope this doesn't violate forum policy. I am a bit prejudiced, but I think the Lock Miter Master works fantastically. I am the inventor and licensed it to Infinity. I was planning to build a bookcase and for reasons similar to yours, I wanted to use a lock miter joint. I had the bit. It had never been used and was gathering dust in my drawer for years. It was big and I was intimidated. I had read all the horror stories about setup. Plus, none of the setup instructions provided by bit manufacturers and in woodworking magazine articles seemed clear or simple. Most actually devolved into a lengthy trial and error process. After further research and analysis I discovered many were just WRONG! So, I set about to find a better way. I truly believe I did! A crappy prototype even worked great! During design refinement I added some features that allow it to do things few if any other setup jigs or instructions allow you to do- like easily set up a lock miter when the thickness of the boards on each side of the joint is different (some instructions even say it can't be done!). The Infinity website description has a link to a rather extensive manual that explains it all. Thanks Peter and John. There are a lot of great reviews of it out there. There are two by two of the major woodworking magazine tool reviewers I especially like- both got great joints on the first attempt. To Johnnyy- not yet :) :) :) Actually, new router bits that don't need a jig for setup. I designed single bits that will replace the two bit sets currently need to make lock miter joints when building 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12 sided boxes. I hope to license this design either to Infinity or some other manufacturer like Whiteside. Oh, I finished the bookcase. Here are two pics of the lock miter joinery- in the first pic you are looking at the intersection of 3 lock miter joints between the birch ply top and side and between the top and sides and the maple faceframe. The second pic is a closeup of a joint between the birch ply and maple faceframe. The bit was set using an early prototype of my jig.

I have to admit my first attempt was not quite as tight as your joints Alan, but miles better than any trial and error I had done in the past. Thanks for inventing this jig Alan!