Beadlock system - anybody using it?

No skills · 30 Jun 2013

Hey folks

I have been looking at the beadlock jigs from rutlands today, has anybody got any experience with these jigs or the beadlock system in general? - looks like trend had a version of it for a while (now discon from what I can find).

I quite fancy having a go with it as a domino is far beyond reach atm, and I need to knock up some bits where a biscuit or plain dowel wont be strong enough. Yes I could cut mortice and tenon but nothing will ever get done at the speed I hand cut stuff #-o so a speedier way is needed.

Any thoughts?

Cheers.

No skills · 1 Jul 2013

Nobody?

Found Charleys posts about it from years ago, quite helpful - the system seems to be used over the pond a bit but not in a big way.

Anyways after pricing it up I've decided not to buy it - £200 roughly by the time you buy a router bit to make the stock - that's about a third of the way to a domino :evil:

Had a look at some mortice and tenon jigs for the router, a couple seem quite good but come with the 'quite good' price tag

I'll have to be a bit smarter with the way I make the next few projects, laminate bits together instead of joints for now - and if I cant do that then theres always miller dowels :lol:

Thanks for looking (?).

8)

marcros · 1 Jul 2013

I read this post, and since I had never used the beadlock system, didnt comment.

If you are opening it up to alternatives, then I may be able to offer some hints. It seems that you are after a way of making a mortice and tenon joint, with the minimum of fuss. If so, I think that I would use a loose tenon, and make that first- run up several metres on the table saw, round over the corners with a router bit. This will give you plenty to cut to length as you require- or cut them to standard lengths now.

Then I would create a template for a guide bush that will allow you to create the mortices from MDF. include some form of clamping device, or area to clamp it on. In my head, I am thinking of a right angled piece (to the top), with a slot adjustment and handwheel for distance from the reference face. Then to use, mark up (could use another template to do this, since the mortices will all be the same size), drill out the waste, put on morticing template and rout the mortices clean. I found that drilling out the waste made a much better job of it.

Put the money that you save towards a domino.

marcros · 1 Jul 2013

The miller dowels are expensive, but I like them for the few things I have used them on. I used them to affix the workbench top to the base and cant fault them. Much stronger than a normal dowel, and do pull joints up nice and tight. I would like to get one of the tiny ones, but cant justify the expense for the few joints I would use it on.

petermillard · 1 Jul 2013

Or you could always build your own Domino

No skills · 1 Jul 2013

I used to work with an old/old school Russian - he was of a generation of make/repair/make do (or have nothing) and he would certainly knock one of those portable morticers up and never consider buying a domino, in fact he would curse me blind for buying a track saw if he found out. Either that or he would want to borrow it

I had been thinking about making a router jig for loose tenons last night but decided against it for now, time is better spend actually making the bits we need atm - but its certainly something to think about for less busy times and I certainly have enough scrap beech to supply me with tenon stock for a long while.

I've modified my next project (loftish style bed) for ease and speed, found some dowel lengths in the garage and ordered the heavy duty kreg jig - should speed things up a tad.

Many thanks for the input chaps, back to the childcare for now 8)

Ps before anybody thinks I'm against making/fixing and making do, I'm certainly one for it - newer generations could learn a lot from the old folk. Only problem with me is I like nice tools...