New Luthier Tips du Jour video - Plate joining jig

[Robbie O'Brien]

The newest Luthier Tips du Jour instructional video is on Youtube. The topic is joining plates.
Subtitles are available in both English and Portuguese and you can translate them into any other language by using the CC option on Youtube.
As always, comments and discussion are welcome.
Enjoy!


youtu.be/

[kiwigeo]

OMG.....LMI caught Stewmac napping on this one

[Trevor Gore]

You get a, quote, "perfectly joined top or back with no misalignment..."

What about this near end of the joint? See end of video, (2.00).

[Robbie O'Brien]

You get a, quote, "perfectly joined top or back with no misalignment..."

What about this near end of the joint? See end of video, (2.00).

Could it be you are referring to the offset of the centerline? When I say misalignment I mean up and down.

[simso]

Ive had this plate joining jig for a while, and its worth every cent.

[Trevor Gore]

Could it be you are referring to the offset of the centerline? When I say misalignment I mean up and down.

Looked pretty up and down when I expanded it on my screen!

[Tod Gilding]

I didn't notice that the first time that I watched, but after watching again, I would have to agree with Trevor.

[Trevor Gore]

Ive had this plate joining jig for a while, and its worth every cent.

I'm sure the jig works fine, Steve. The principle's been around for centuries and still hasn't stopped working! I show a similar frame in the book and I've been using it for years. The ends always need to be checked, because they seldom line up automatically.

My jig uses four bars and one piece of string. You wind the four figure 8's, check everything is aligned whilst you can still move the panels about before the real pressure goes on, then slide in the four wedges. You don't need a hammer!

Gerard's jig is the same thing 6 times over. He has them rigged so the thing looks like a big paddle wheel when it's fully loaded. I think the idea was that by the time you'd shot the 7th set of panels you could pull the first set.

[Dominic]

I saw a vid a while ago of a spanish maker using sticks and wedges and one piece of rope. And in 5 mins he had joined about 5 tops which he placed on the floor next to his bench so they were all connected with the one rope. He was so practiced at it, every move he made was perfect and efficient. It was beautiful to watch.
Dom

[Tod Gilding]

Is There any chance that you could post a link Dom ?

[simso]

I'm sure the jig works fine, Steve. The principle's been around for centuries and still hasn't stopped working! I show a similar frame in the book and I've been using it for years. The ends always need to be checked, because they seldom line up automatically.

Agreed, there are a lot of alternatives and Ive made quite a few myself, I was curious about this one a while back when I needed something from LMI, and thought what the heck and grabbed it any way, havent used one of my other joint clamping jigs for a top or back since

[kiwigeo]

This jig is fine if you've got the money but the same result can be achieved with a few battens, some macrame rope and and some home made wedges. Don't get me wrong...I love LMI's stuff but for financially tight newbies to luthiery the money is better spent on other items.

All the above aside..thanks to Robbie for taking the time to post up the video.

[Dominic]

Is There any chance that you could post a link Dom ?

Had a look for it Tod but it is among the 47 billion other vids on youtube and
i couldn't find it.
Dom