Corner Lock Jointer Bit - I worked out how to set it up!

[Glynne]

A few weeks ago I bought a Corner Lock Jointer Bit from Wealden Tools: -
http://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Corner_Lock_Jointer_890.html

As I do box making, I thought that for veneered boxes I could cut down on the construction of the base carcass (MDF / Ply) and hence bought the cutter as I've always been impressed by both the products and service from Wealdens. So today I thought I'd have a play and checked the product details (as above) and watched the video of the cutter in use.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QmzxKbfguY&feature=youtu.be
However, I struggled to recreate the joint shown in both the diagram and video and ended up with a very shallow mortise and tenon joint. Coloured in for the photo.

I couldn't work out how you could possibly recreate that joint unless your stock was exactly 8mm thick - which mine wasn't.
So back to Wealdens video firstly then and Ron's Tips to find he was using a different cutter to mine and, whilst it's nice to watch him, it wasn't a lot of use.
A quick Google revealed the type of joint I had envisaged when I bought the cutter so back to the router table with some 12mm MDF.

After a couple of miserable failures, the pen and paper came out and with a scale drawing, all was revealed!

Once you are set up, you can rout both the sides and the front and back without any adjustment of the fence or the height of the cutter - you simply rout one vertically against the fence and the other flat on the table. In both cases the inside face on your box parts being against the fence & table. Simples! (after you've spent a couple of hours working it out).
I then decided to test my calculations (i.e. be a smart ars*) and see if I could leave a deliberate shortfall in both sides so as I could add contrasting edging / stringing and it worked. You can just about see some scrap square stock at the bottom of the joint as an example.

The secret (or bleedin obvious to anyone apart from me) is that the vertical pieces are positioned so as to create the 4mm groove exactly 4mm from the bottom to fit in with the cutter dimensions. As long as your depth (i.e. the fence) is > 4mm, it creates uneven sides above and below the groove which is what you want. You then rout the other pieces flat on the table and the longer "tenon" simply passes over the top of the cutter. You can easily work out the depth of cut by taking 1/2 width of your board and adding 2mm.
It is probably easier to draw that explanation so if anyone is interested, please let me know and I'll knock something up.

If you use solid wood, you will get some end grain showing unless you go for the stringing option but the other benefit is that you can use the set up to rout grooves for your top and bottom without any other adjustment.
So I still didn't make anything, but at least I know how to use another cutter!

 

[Steve Maskery]

That is very clear, Glynne, and a helpful this-is-how-to-do-it.
S

 

[RogerP]

With Corner Lock Jointer Bits I find it saves much time next time if you save a scrap of wood from your correct set-up.

Then next time you just set the cutter height against your "template" and away you go - perfect first time!

 

[Steve Maskery]

Roger, I think the phrase you are searching for is Right First Time Every Time.

S

 

[RogerP]

Roger, I think the phrase you are searching for is Right First Time Every Time.

S

(How's the new workshop progressing?)

 

[Steve Maskery]

(How's the new workshop progressing?)

Nothing since Wednesday. Thursday was spent at the hospital and asleep (don't ask), Friday was a teeny-weeny bit of payback, mixing and laying concrete for my friend Thérèse and yesterday I was out and about enjoying myself as if I didn't have anything to do. And today has sort of disappeared. I still have not-so-good days, though they are fewer and farther between than they used to be.

But tomorrow, tomorrow, I'll labour, tomorrow, it's only a day away.

Ray's coming on Tuesday and I don't want it to look as if I have been idle...
S

 

[RogerP]

(How's the new workshop progressing?)

..................
But tomorrow, tomorrow, I'll labour, tomorrow, it's only a day away.
Ray's coming on Tuesday and I don't want it to look as if I have been idle...
S

..... don't forget to take some photos!

 

[Glynne]

Thanks Steve.
Being the owner of a couple of your DVDs I take that as a compliment.
Glad to hear the knee is improving although a Garurange knee brace still sounds like something for the 18+s.
That having said, I'm waiting for an arthroscopy for a torn ligament although the only it stops me from doing is run.

Roger. Really good suggestion. I thought of this whilst I was working it out. Effectively a routing story stick as I'm sure I'll forget the maths (well arithmetic) within no time.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Only a couple???? The are TEN for goodness sake! What's wrong with you, man?!

S
Ooh, I'm feeling mischievous this evening...

 

[Glynne]

Put the brace on quickly and go cruising - you never know!

 

[Cyclobob]

Thanks Glynne!

I was having the same problem!

Bob

 

[Phil Pascoe]

With Corner Lock Jointer Bits I find it saves much time next time if you save a scrap of wood from your correct set-up.

Then next time you just set the cutter height against your "template" and away you go - perfect first time!

That's exactly what I was about to say - it's a good idea for any cutter designed for a matching opposite part to be machined.
I found out the trial and error way.

 

[Robbo3]

If you don't want any end grain to show use a mitre lock joint cutter
- https://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/On ... r_143.html

 

[Rorschach]

That's a good looking strong joint. I fancy a mitre lock bit but my little router isn't going to be powerful enough to make that cut and it's not something you could do in shallow passes I think.

 

[MattRoberts]

That's a good looking strong joint. I fancy a mitre lock bit but my little router isn't going to be powerful enough to make that cut and it's not something you could do in shallow passes I think.

I think you can do it in shallow passes, but you risk the fence not being precisely set each time. Plus it's a 1/2 inch shank bit, so needs a beefy router

 

[Rorschach]

That's a good looking strong joint. I fancy a mitre lock bit but my little router isn't going to be powerful enough to make that cut and it's not something you could do in shallow passes I think.

I think you can do it in shallow passes, but you risk the fence not being precisely set each time. Plus it's a 1/2 inch shank bit, so needs a beefy router

They make them in 1/4" for smaller joints, I think it can do 8-10mm thickness only. I suppose as long as you had a setup sample like phil mentioned then with some planning you could have all your pieces ready and do multiple passes and then carefully setup for the final pass.

 

[hawkeyefxr]

I have one of , i don't use it much but every time i get it out i to scratch my head (and i have the splinter to prove it). When it is set correct the joints are first class though.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I have some of these in both 1/4" and 1/2" shank. It works nicely, but so far it's true that I've only ever driven the small one with my T11 in the router table (the T11 is fairly hunky).

They don't actually take off a huge amount of wood (45 degree corner in the case of the mitre-lock cutter), so you'd probably find it does actually work fine. And I was almost shocked by how easy it was to set up, although you do need a well-made tall fence, as one piece runs vertically and the other flat on the table. If you run it at high speed but move the stock slowly, it _might_ work better, but go too slow and it will burn. Sadly there's no substitute for having enough power for the task.

I have to say, though, that they were VERY, VERY MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE when I bought mine (did you hear that, Axminster?). So much so that I can't afford the third one for the set (the middle one, annoyingly). The big one must be close to treble its original price.

Inflation, what inflation?

E.