# Birdsmouth joinery



## suds (Aug 25, 2008)

Wondered if many of you have used birdsmouth joinery bits for your projects and your impression.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

yes...
they work well.. 
LeeValley has a very good set...
Bird's-Mouth Joinery Bits™ - Lee Valley Tools

if you work out the angles you can makw the cuts on the table saw using a dado blade...


----------



## suds (Aug 25, 2008)

I never thought that the table saw with a dado stack would be a alternative but it does make sense. Any advantage/disadvantage or using the tablesaw.


----------



## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Interesting link, stick. Never seen that before.


----------



## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

Stick486 said:


> yes...
> they work well..
> LeeValley has a very good set...
> Bird's-Mouth Joinery Bits™ - Lee Valley Tools
> ...


I saved this article years ago, really liked the look of the finished lamp - wife didn't, enough said. The article shows making the joint with two passes on the TS, but it looks as if one of those bits would be perfect (and a lot easier). But the wife still doesn't like the lamp..............


----------



## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

I've made several boxes with birdsmouth bits. They look very good. Check out Dave Henry on you tube to see what can be done with them.






Heres one of mine.
http://www.pbase.com/john_cooper/image/166874384/medium.jpg


----------



## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

That link didnt work very well, the pic is way too small, so this is the second try.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Putttn said:


> I never thought that the table saw with a dado stack would be a alternative but it does make sense. Any advantage/disadvantage or using the tablesaw.


cheaper/faster...
more versatility..


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

tomp913 said:


> I saved this article years ago, really liked the look of the finished lamp - wife didn't, enough said. The article shows making the joint with two passes on the TS, but it looks as if one of those bits would be perfect (and a lot easier). But the wife still doesn't like the lamp..............


dado blade..
one pass...


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

The angles on a router bit are preset so there is no setup to get right. I have some cheap MLCS ones that I got cheap on ebay but I haven't had a chance to use them yet. After looking at Bob's box he used his for I'm more motivated than I was before.


----------



## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

sunnybob said:


> That link didnt work very well, the pic is way too small, so this is the second try.


That's a pretty sweet box Bob!! I love it.
earl


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

You did a great job on the box. Love the wood and color contrast, those birds mouth joints add a cool touch to it.
Herb


----------



## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

Its an extremely simple way of making a pretty box.
Once you have the height worked out on a piece of scrap its one pass across the router and you glue up.
Whats not to like?


----------



## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

Heres another one, same basic shape but fancier corners with brass strip included


----------



## kywoodchopper (Jul 18, 2013)

I use the bird mouth bit all the time. I make column (like plant stands), boxes for wedding where they put a bottle of wine in to be opened in the future, as well as box corners. One of the pictures I posted about I used the bit.

Malcolm / Kentucky USA


----------



## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

Malcolm, I like that bottle box a lot. i must have missed when you posted that one.
I keep planning on a tall birdsmouth project, but everytime i get the wood together, something distracts me.
That box is definitely on my list now.


----------



## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

When I started reading this thread, I was thinking of (sunny)Bob's boxes. The high contrast of the one with the dark corners makes it very easy to see the process. They should use a pic from Bob or Malcolm on the LeeValley page but then customers may complain when theirs don't come out as nice.


----------



## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

I've made a couple of diagonal corner cabinets where I've left the front edge of the side panel square and cut a 45° bevel on the back of the face frame, a little fussy sometimes as you're trying to fit to the inside corners of the cabinet. I'd saved this photo from an article, thinking that it might be the way to try the next one, add a little visual appeal at the same time.


----------



## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

I've used the ones form lee Valley on several occasions to make large barrel planters and they work extremely well.


----------

