[OP]
Member
I have seen old post about these bits, most I found were a year or older that I read/found.
Anyone got one recently or still use one with good sucess? I was looking at getting one and would prefer one where the board doesn't have to be cut at 45 first (at least the entire profile). Just seeing if there is something just as good, maybe easier to use but still make an attactive joint to use sometimes for 45 corners
Member
I bought the "smaller" 3/4" max thickness bit from Rockler last month. I used the lock miter joint constructing 4 - 3"x3" x 30" legs from quarter sawn red oak. The bit took quite a few test pieces to get set up properly, but after I got what I wanted, worked as advertised. I didn't pre cut the sides at all. The pieces ran fine on the router table in one pass. Actually turned out better than anticipated.
Jim
Member
I have Freud's 99-034 lock mitre sitting in my router bit cabinet. After I finally got a good practice joint out of it, I've never had a use for it. That's at least 10 yrs past. It just sits there like a good little bit should. It is a b---er to set up.
I prefer Freud's 99-240 Drawer Lock bit & LV's 16J76.72 1/2 size Drawer Lock bit. You can do 90* corners on a box (assuming the wood grains are running parallel to each other) and the joints are invisible to the naked eye.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Mack C. in Brooklin ON Canada
It feels really great to sell a pen;
It feels even greater to give one to a friend!
If your presence doesn't make an impact;
Your absence won't make a difference!
Contributor
You got it in a single passOriginally Posted by Jim Bills
You must have nerves of steel.
I do them in two passes. The vib's were horrendous in a single pass. I didn't find that pre-cutting the miter helped at all. In fact it had the opposite effect, The material wanted to climb the face of the bit. I have precut a 3/8x3/8 miter. That part of the profile is waste.
It's a nerve wracking bit. But it does work well once setup properly. It makes a great glue joint.
Member
Rockler sells a setup block for the smaller bit. I wish they had one for the large bit too. I made my own setup blocks, but getting it setup correctly was a chore.
I remember seeing a website (can't find it now) where the guy made a simple sled that the piece rode on as it passed the bit. The advantage was that the sled had a place to fasten the work piece (via a screw in the end of the piece being milled). It seemed much safer / stable this way.
I too do it all in one pass simply because I don't want to reset any thing. I suppose I could rectify this by adding a 1/4 piece of something to my fence that I could remove for the second pass.
It does make a great joint when you get it setup correctly.
John
Featherboards?
"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
Member
FWW ran an article on use of locking miter bit and it's included in the fww Book on joinery, article named: Stickley Style Legs by Patrick Nelson. I have the book and pdf'd the article so I could use reprint in shop as go by for jigs and how to clamp the glue up. I also have some comments culled from other boards on use of the lock miter bit.
I used bit to make legs and it is truely a life altering experience when that bit catches in the oak and hurls it across the room like a spear but the joint is nice.
Let me know if you'd like more info.
Member
I purchased the set-up block from Rocklers, it wasn't even close to the required set-up (at least for me) a total waste of money. But you can bet your sweet bippy I saved a piece of my properly set-up run for future reference (both for height and fence settings)
I don't have nerves of steel, just used a fairly high router speed, and a fairly low feed rate. Didn't notice any scary vibrations of any kind, it actually cut nice and smooth. That said it wouldn't hurt to run a 3/8" bevel prior to profiling.
Jim
Contributor
Glenn.
I honestly don't think that a featherboard alone would be strong enough. There is a lot of material being removed at once. The chatter and vibration are pretty significant, at least for me. I was using a Whiteside large lock miter bit. I might try the smaller bit next time. The whiteside is almost 3' in diameter. Maybe the decreased size, and weight of the smaller one will have less chatter.
I set the bit up with a pine board, and then switched to brazillian cherry. It was a bit of a workout to say the least. I couldn't cut the brazillian cherry in a single pass.
John Nixon.
There is an excellent article on the Lock miter in the book, "In The Craftsman Style". The author clearly demonstrates how to make the sled. It sounds exactly like the sled you are describing. It may be the same article that Terry is referring to in his post.
John Lucas, of Woodshop Demo,s and a member here also, has an excellent pictorial essay of the lock miter and the setup on his website.
[OP]
Member
I'll take all the info I can get.
Mike I looked at that a little and it seemed complicated for just a jig, maybe if I read the whole thing it wasn't it just seemed that way when I glanced at it.
Contributor
Aaron.
Once you have the bit in your hand, or mounted in the table, John's demonstration makes a lot more sense. to correct the error of the bit you have to move the bit in the opposite direction of what seems right(Because the bit is upside down). It seems as if you are moving in the direction of error. It's wierd at first.
For the cost of the setup jig from Rockler. It may just be easier to get the bit and the jig from them. Of course I'm certain that the jig is assuming that you have exactly 3/4" thick material.
The bit gets a lot of negative press, but once you get it setup it's pretty cool. It doesn't just do corner joints either. It makes a good glue line bit for edge gluing.
Member
Just had to add my $0.02.
Freud 99-034 Lock Miter Bit
This is the scariest bit I have ever used. I was going to purchase one, but decided to try a friends first. One day of trying this monster and I figured that I really did not need one.
They do make nice joints AFTER setting everything up for the nth time AND if you have the nerves to push a board through the spinning chunk of iron and carbide.
If you do get one, make setup blocks for the material thickness you are cutting. It will save you a bunch of time and material in the future. Oh yeah, and use push sticks
[OP]
Member
From the sounds of it this bit sounds like a MONSTER! Borad chatter, wood shooting like spears. lol Might it help of you take some of the wood off like has been suggested maybe 3/8 or a little more that way the bit doesn't have to chew on so much? Or...does taking some off take away from being able to keep the board flat against the table or fence (depending on which cut you are maing)?
Mike,
Thanks for the feedback. I've been thinking about one of these bits and have wondered if it would just end up not getting used. It sounds like the material needs to be really well controlled as it's fed through. I don't know if my skinny 155lbs is up to it. I appreciate your (and the others) comments; think I just saved a little $$.
"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
Member
Lee Valley sells such a bit, and they have a free online tutorial for using it. Go to their website, find the bit, and on the left side of the screen is a button. I think it says INFO, or TECH. Something like that. Print it out.
It tells everything about setting fences and height adjustment for the joint.
Gary Curtis
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
