Guitar luthier Jig for cutting binding channels
I just built a very simple guitar luthier jig to help manage cutting the binding and purfling channels using a laminate cutter (small 1/4″ router).
Design
The aim was to overcome a few key problems with my previous design which I use in conjunction with a jig to hold the guitar body level.
- Vertical movement on the vertical slide tending to stick.
- Body of the jig too wide to allow working up close to the neck and heel of the instrument.
The essence of the modified design is simplicity.
- Narrow base that can be easily clamped to table top.
- Slide constructed from a 22mm copper tube sliding over a 20mm dowel.
- Horizontal stability from a vertical steel tube that the body of the jig slides over.
- Laminate cutter screwed to a base that slots into the vertical slide of the jig.
- Balance the weight of laminate cutter using thick elastic running over a pulley at the top of the jig.
Photo of finished jig:
Photo of jig to hold guitar body level:
Performance
Performance was pretty good and managed my cleanest channels yet. However the design could still be improved.
- By using a slightly thicker steel stabilising tube.
- By providing a locating mechanism to keep the router base engaged with vertical slide.