Mitrelock Router cutters - Updated!

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Richard Findley

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Hi all,

I have some small(ish) Oak boxes to make soon and was looking at the Mitrelock cutters and wondered if they're any good?

Any experiences please?

Cheers,

Richard
 
I think they are rather good, especially for drawers, but it's hard to get everything lined up correctly if you don't cut all in one go. (DAMHIKT :oops: ) That is when you use it for both fronts, side and bottom.

I made a drawer, and after initial troubles due to my newbieness, i did manage to get it to work pretty good.
 
Have a look on the other side, JFC uses one quite a bit and there are a few with the Mitre lock block on their spindles.

Jason
 
I have never got the darn things to work to my satisfaction. As said, setting up is very fiddly and it seems well-nigh impossible to avoid damage to a knife edge on the mitre during the making process.

You say your intended boxes are small but if they are of thick enough wood to use one of these, there are many quick and easy ways to make a strong joint if you are not looking for showmanship (eg, rebate and small dowel pins- bamboo skewers work very well).
 
Having faced all the problems listed above I eventually made a stand alone router table to cut both joints. The knife edge problem I only over came by using a sled. Well worth the effort I found.
I also decided to stick to a limited range of timber thicknesses then listed the necessary dimensions needed to cut each thickness, thereby eliminating the usual trial and error part.

Roy.
 
I use these for making carriage clock carcases, in hardwoods, fixed in the router table.

They have to be well jigged and supported, to prevent accidents.
Setting up is time consuming and fiddley.
I also find that on the smaller cutter and the minimum T material, the spline part is very fragile, so if you do a dry fit you are most likley to damage it.
I have had little success in MDF.
If everything isn't set up, square and parrallel, and cut at the correct height on both pieces, it's impossible to make a complimentary joint.
I usually make a long length, then cut to the finished lengths for the sides from this, because undercutting can occur when pushing small pieces through against the fence.
Hope this helps.
Mikee
 
Setting up is time consuming and fiddley.

Which is why I stick to a given range of thicknesses and known measurements.
I measure the height of the cutter using a micrometer and the position of the fence like wise and clamp the wood to the sled.
Otherwise I find the setting a nightmare!

Roy.
 
I just mitre and glue using mitre fix or similar or maybe small box joints look good
 
Thanks for your comments guys.

So not as good as they first seem then? The knife edge thing doesn't bother me as you get this on a basic mitre too. How safe are they to use? Dicktimber mentions having to have them well jigged to avoid accidents? Don't really like the sound of that much!

Riley, thanks for your kind offer. I may well take you up on that one. Leave it with me.

If I were to buy one, I assume I'd be better off getting a more expensive version such as the Wealdon (about £45) rather than the Axminster cheapy at about £25?

Keep your thoughts coming please guys.

Cheers,

Richard
 
I can't say they are any different safety wise to a normal mitre cutter, I assume that you would be taking cuts of a suitable size just as with any other cutter.

Roy.
 
That's an interesting point Digit... I kind of assumed I'd have to do a single cut to get the profile right. Are you saying it would/could be done in several passes?

Richard
 
Roy
I thought the reason for these cutters was to do the cut in one go..hence min max material thickness.
The pressure build up on the very fine edge you are trying to achieve by multiple passes,results in either the fine edge collapsing or you take too much off, and the finished joint ends as a miss match.
Making this joint on two mating parts done in two different set up operations, isn't IMO as easy as you make out.
The edge of the joint tapers to nothing on both parts. If it didn't then you would get a step, no matter how small and to fix this you would have to round it off with abrasive, you would also get an out of square box when assembled.
The other point is, that to achieve a zero thickness edge, you need a router table set up that when using the sled, gives you, no movement what so ever in the track.
The parallelism of the track to the fence has to be accurate within seconds of a degree, or over a long distance the mismatch of the two joining pieces can become so large that the two parts will not go together.
If they do then the four parts assembled and cut into an oblong shape, produce a tapered oblong.
That is if you are using the fence as the stop for the depth of cut.
Granted on smaller lengths this error is reduced.
I do not want to put anyone off from using these cutters.
But there are big limitations when used in a home made router table set up and you should be aware of the down falls.
You may over come some of these issues if you invest in some incra gear.
Making a box from mitred stock is not an easy task IMO, even using a table saw and getting the angle correct, then making a jig to take the feathered edge, to machine the opposite edge, and to a set dimension when assembled, has it's problems, and isn't as straight forward as members made out in another thread.


Mikee
 
I don't do it in two set up operations. The reason for the min/max values is that the timber has to be thick enough or you won't get all the lock shape, and too the two edges would not mate due to a step being formed. Nothing to do with the cut.
and as I stated, I use a sled, for the reasons you have defined.
None of your other comments are applicable to me as I use a small dedicated router table designed to over come those problems, including not using a fence to control the cut, rather the sled does that.
By the way, I'm on the MK 2 table now! :lol:

Roy.
 
Roy,
Just trying to help the chap.....
Sounds like you have been through the mill with these cutters like myself.
.

So long as we don't encourage using them free hand with the router fence!!!!!!!?????????????? :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:
Mikee
 
I'll say! They are a bloody nightmare of trial and error. Mine sat in the bit box for two years after my first attempts. Finally I decided that it was a case of either dump 'em or find a way of using them without the constant trial and error and the feather edging. And like I said, I'm on the MK 2 table now!

Roy.
 
Roy
just re reading yr post
How do you cut the second cut...the one that is pushed against the fence?
Are you saying you don't do this cut, this way?
Mikee
 
Unfortunately Dick I can't show you any pics at the mo as my son has my camera so I'll try and explain!
First, the 'table' is a flat plate with an 800 watt router underneath which is adjustable up and down. The working area is 10 X 8 inches.
At this stage forget the fence.
The cutter height is set using measurements previously obtained by T and E and noted in my little blue book!
The timber is now clamped to the sled that tracks along the front edge of the table and transits the cutter, taking a suitable cut.
The fence also has the same working area and is of the pivoting type. The same sled is used, the timber is clamped to it and transits the cutter with a suitable cut, thereby starting the matching half of the joint.
Next the fence is moved to expose a little more of the cutter and step one is repeated, followed by step two.
These steps are repeated till a knife edge is produced, see pic below.

http://i43.tinypic.com/znqw77.jpg

If you want more info I'll try and get my camera back this week end.

Roy.
 
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