Flutting Jig

9th Jan 2024

The platform for the router or laminate trimmer is made using a 1" steel post that fits into my banjo. I attached a .250 thick aluminum plate 16" X 8" to the post by drilling and tapping 1/4 20 To prevent the table from coming loose and spinning I drilled a 1/8 hole through the plate into the same 1" steel post and installed a roll pin. The 1/4 20 T Tracks are from Lee Valley Tools they are mounted into the MDF, drilled and taped to secure to the aluminum plate. The stop blocks are used to define the start and stop location of the router for repeated cuts. I use the same platform for my branding tool when branding pieces mounted on the lathe as shown below.

The laminate trimmer is mounted into a wood base using ready strapping. The trimmer would easily tip forward so I removed the black plastic base and made a new one from plexiglass, the new one rests on the table surface so the trimmer is now stable. The white plastic you see at the router bit is HDPE that I turned and thread on the lathe so it threads into the plexiglass base. I have a HDPE threaded washer that is removed in this photo but the washer fits between the plexiglass and the part you see and allows for bit depth adjustments. The white nose simply rides along the contour of the piece to make the desired grooves. This method seems to work easier than the previous way using a sacrificial guide screwed down and the router base would follow that guide.

The branding tool is used on the same platform as the router/laminate trimmer jig