Lock Miter Bit

[Mark W Pugh]

OK, so I used my cheap lock miter bit the other day. Was not impressed with it's performance.

Question, any suggestion on a good lock miter router bit?

Thanks

[Mel Fulks]

We have several lengthy threads on set up, etc. that you can look up. If the problem is tear out ,and if often is with small
diameter tooling,you can sand off the sharp edge on the stock before using the bit or round over the corner with "round over" router bit CLIMB CUTTING .Then use the lock mitre bit ,standard forward feed; the round over step stops the "unraveling" tearout.

[Mark W Pugh]

We have several lengthy threads on set up, etc. that you can look up. If the problem is tear out ,and if often is with small
diameter tooling,you can sand off the sharp edge on the stock before using the bit or round over the corner with "round over" router bit CLIMB CUTTING .Then use the lock mitre bit ,standard forward feed; the round over step stops the "unraveling" tearout.

Yep, there was tear out, and it being not very sharp didn't help. I'll remember the technique of rounding over the edge first.

Thanks

Oh, and set up was easy with the Infinity Lock Miter Master, router bit jig.

[Mike Schuch]

I had a nice brand new Freud lock miter bit and tried to use it on my router table with my Porter Cable router. It sucked... I wont do it again. I picked up an old Walker Turner 3hp 3ph shaper for $200 with the express purpose of cutting lock miters. After tuning the Walker Turner shaper the setup has worked great. I love lock miter joints! I am just using a Grizzley lock miter cutter which was cheaper than the Freud lock miter bit and the Grizzly cutter has always given me excellent results.

I ironic part is my shaper setup cost me considerably less than my router table setup because I already had a phase converter.

[Mark W Pugh]

OK, just ordered a Whiteside locking miter bit

[Erik Christensen]

good tooling makes a ton of difference - I always forget that fact when I am being "stupid cheap" and thinking "well this is a low cost way to see if i really use it" ... while never realizing that cheap tooling often works so poorly that I decide "nah this is not for me" when I look at the crappy results.... i predict you will have a very different experience with the whiteside bit :)

[Mel Fulks]

Mark, you've done a lot of good in verifying that the rounding over does help; it certainly does not appear in any factory
written instructions that I've seen. The tooling quality does make a big difference, but that particular profile can be difficult
to work on maple ,birch,etc.

[Chris Padilla]

Get this jig (http://www.infinitytools.com/Lock-Miter-Router-Bits/products/1062/) for sure. It makes set up a breeze which otherwise challenges even the most intelligent person. :)

[Bill Huber]

Get this jig (http://www.infinitytools.com/Lock-Miter-Router-Bits/products/1062/) for sure. It makes set up a breeze which otherwise challenges even the most intelligent person. :)

I think he has it and just misspoke thinking it was a Jessem.

[Mark W Pugh]

I think he has it and just misspoke thinking it was a Jessem.

I do, and I did. No way to edit the misspeak out now. I was looking right at Infinity and Jessem came out of my keyboard!

[Alan Schaffter]

I still hang around here, though not always every day. So, if you have questions or issues with the Lock Miter Master, I'd be happy to help if I can. Post them or send me a PM. I designed the LMM but am not an Infinity employee and don't represent the company in any way so I can't help with refunds, product defects, or returns.

The really nice review of the LMM in a recent issue of Wood Magazine resulted in good sales (royalty) last quarter! :)

[Marc Ward]

I used mine for the first time yesterday. Bought both sizes from Infinity and a new FREUD lock miter bit that does does 1/2 - 1 inch thick stock. I experimented on 5/8 stock I want to use that for some drawers. Observations...it worked as advertised. I set it up carefully by following the directions and had a near perfect joint, first try. But, I need to rework my router fence. I need to bury the bit in the (sacrificial) fence, or at least cut out a rectangle for the bit, so there is fence ABOVE the bit. I have a fence with two sides that I can open and close. But, when doing a 3" wide piece vertical against the fence, it wanted to dip into the opening. Not a big problem, will just cut some MDF for a new sacrificial fence and all should be well.

Also, I know that when I really try to make the finished drawers, I will cut the stock way oversized, then rip it down. For example, if the front and back need to be finished size of 20 X 4, rather than cut two pieces to 4" and mill then separately, I will mill one piece that is 9-10 wide, then rip to finished size. Since I am using Baltic Birch, that should eliminate any wood entry or exit problems.


I still hang around here, though not always every day. So, if you have questions or issues with the Lock Miter Master, I'd be happy to help if I can. Post them or send me a PM. I designed the LMM but am not an Infinity employee and don't represent the company in any way so I can't help with refunds, product defects, or returns.

The really nice review of the LMM in a recent issue of Wood Magazine resulted in good sales (royalty) last quarter! :)