With the router bit height and fence positioned aligned, it's time to make some joints. Just be sure to remove the Lock Miter Master Jig first! When cutting lock miter joints, a couple of safety devices and a helpful scrap of MDF or other straight piece of wood will really make the cut safer and easier. I recommend using some MDF scrap that has a straight edge on it and use double-sided tape to fasten it to the top of the workpiece flush with the edge that will be routed.  Check the fit of the joint. It should be close to perfect with the two knife edges meeting at the corner. If the joint is off, place the Lock Miter Master Jig Jig back onto your fence and double-check your fence depth. You might need to adjust it in or out by a small bit. Mount the slot-cutter bit with the appropriate size bearing in your router and set the bit height. Clamp your workpiece securely to your workbench. Rest the router sub base on the work piece and plunge the slot-cutter in so the bit shank is relatively centered on the start mark. Move the router right until the bit shank aligns with the end mark, and then pull the slot-cutter out of the groove. You’ll get the hang of this rather quickly. Using a clear router sub-base may be helpful.  I too have a biscuit joiner and use it as i need but I also use a spline on joints. Using a router table uith holdowns. I cut splines from 1/4 cut oak or similar wood and use them to join two peices soild with glue. Reply. James East September 10th, I too have a biscuit joiner and use it as i need but I also use a spline on joints. Corner-beading: I hree slightly different profiles can be cut using this bit. depending upon the depth of cut and the number of passes. In a single pass, you can cut a couple of different edge beads; with two passes. Leaf-edge-beading: Forms a round-edged groove near the edge of the workpiecc.  The radii of the forms appear to be the same. Flute or half-round: This bit cuts a flute—a rounded groove—at right angles to the bit axis, and it's sometimes referred to as the reverse of the bull-nose bit. It's useful for fluting a narrow edge, which wouldn't provide good footing for a router that's set up with a core-box or roundnose bit. The flute depth is controlled by the pilot bearing, the position by the router's bit-hciglu setting. The distinction between flute and half round lies in the width of the cut. Download PDF. Hi Jimmy, we have not found a lock miter bit that the lock miter master does not work with. CA Prop 65 Warning. Round Nose. Faux Panel Cabinet Door.

Using the examples shown below, adjust the bit height, recalibrate your fence, and make another test cut.

Rails offer a larger bearing surface. When a board is riding on the table, the rail keeps the piece from tipping into the bit at the beginning or end of the cut. For both cuts, the rails protect the knife edge, allowing you to exert more pressure on the outfeed end without the risk of crushing the edge or end. Lock miter bits come in two sizes.

One overlooked advantage to a smaller bit is its versatility. When used on smaller projects, such as jewelry boxes and humidors where tight corners count , a lock miter really shines. Perfect-fitting lock miters almost always require a little dialing-in. Because the bit is used on both pieces, the gap reflects twice the amount that you need to adjust the bit. Just as they did during setup, rails make the routing process simpler and safer.

Lock miters can help you make legs and other posts; they can also be used with plywood to assemble cases with seamless corners. The mating piece is routed on edge with its inside face touching the fence. As you did for the test pieces, create a pair of rails a few inches longer than your workpieces, and attach them flush with the edges you plan to rout.

Set up hold-downs on the infeed and outfeed side of your fence, and rout the edge, as shown in Photo A. Keeping the edge against the table, feed the piece from right to left Photo B. Note: Routing the joint requires the removal of a lot of material. Chamfering the edge beforehand saves wear and tear on both the router and bit and produces a cleaner cut.

Compared to edges, routing ends poses two unique challenges: taming tear-out and balancing boards when making the face-to-fence cut. Once again, rails can come to the rescue. Using the photos as reference, make the jigs like those shown below.

Note: In order to secure the workpiece and control blow-out, the backers must be the same thickness as your workpieces. Use leftover stock from the setup sequence to ensure an exact match.

To rout the face-to-tabletop half of the joint, tack a rail and handle to a Door Frame Router Bits backer. Now tape your workpiece in place, and feed the assembly past the bit Photo C. I attached a pair of rails to my backer. The upper rail guides the piece through the cut; the lower rail keeps the workpiece from tipping or shifting.

To use the jig, clamp the workpiece between the two rails, and then feed the assembly past the bit, as shown in Photo D. You must be logged in to write a comment. Log In. Find a Store. My Account. My Cart. Go to Home Page.

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Resin Casting. Shop Talk. Woodcraft Magazine. Woodworking Adventures. Download PDF. Setting the Bit Setting the bit requires some trial and error. Step 1: Find the center of the bit. Step 2: Center the bit on the stock. Step 3: Set the fence. Step 4: Make a test cut. Why Rails? Pick Your Bit Lock miter bits come in two sizes.

This particular board had that on both sides. And this board is too long to use it on my tapering sled. This bit has a guide-bushing built in, at the end of the bit, which means your straight-edge guide will be underneath the work piece instead of above it like you had with method 1. That means the bushing is riding along your bench and the edge of the work piece is now flush with that surface. This page may have affiliate links.

For more information see my disclosure page. About The Author Adam has been woodworking for the last 10 years.

He considers himself a 'Small Shop Woodworker' and practices his hobby in his garage. With the lack of time, space, and proper tools, he always finds ways to get great results without over-complicating or over-thinking the process. Various shop jigs, table saw sleds, and tricks of the trade have served him well. God has blessed him with a beautiful family, as well as a passion for teaching others about woodworking. You can read more about Adam here.

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