# Lock Miter bit size?



## bobarue (Feb 14, 2014)

I know this question has been sort of asked before but I would like to word it a little differently. What I am looking at I have two choices a 2" bit that is for 1/2" to 3/4" stock or a 2-3/4" bit that will work for 1/2" all the way up to 1-1/8" stock. Now the later obviously covers the 2" bit stock size range. I am pretty sure the 2" bit will cover my needs but why wouldn't you buy the 2-3/4" bit to cover all of your possibilities? I do have a router with the hp to handle the larger bit but the only thing I can think of why you may not want to go with the larger is that the 2" bit is a lot easier to handle, I don't have the experience to answer my own question so if someone could help me out I would appreciate it.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

The size of the tongue and groove is the biggest factor. At 1/2" material might not have any miter on either side of the T&G.


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## bobarue (Feb 14, 2014)

Charles,

Bear with me, I'm new to this. I never really looked at this bit as a tongue ang groove but essentially it's a tongue and groove on a 45? Also, you're saying that the tongue maybe at its lower limit on 1/2" stock? 

I figured I get a better answer here. I called the manufacturer and all he was worried about was the hp of my router. I guess I wasn't too far off because I basically asked the very question of the answer you just gave me. I asked specifically what the real limits were for each bit as far as the stock size. Well, if you say yes I was right with my understanding of your answer.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Charles is correct it a tongue and groove bit on a 45° angle
I believe that you are too worry about diameter of the bit you really need to be thinking more about the height of the bit.
The bigger bit would verily put a profile on a piece of 1/2" lumber, the same with the smaller bit would not put hardly any profile on a 1 1/2" piece of lumber.
I believe that in most shops the smaller of the two bits would be used 99% of the time


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Unless your router is really underpowered the required hp shouldn't be a big issue. You might have to slow your feed speed some is all. Hopefully this link works and will take you and show you Yonico's 3 sizes side by side. You can see that the mid and small sizes are perfectly scaled down versions of the large one. 
SET OF 3 Lock Miter 45 Degree Glue Joint Router Bits 15334 | eBay

Don't worry about being new to this, we all were at one time. Keep asking questions as needed.


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

Glue Joints - 45 Degree Lock Miter Bits
Charles is right but I suggest a different brand


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

If you are serious about making mitre joints go with the Eagle America or Whiteside (who makes Eagle America). If you think you may only make a few you might want to try Yonico. Most members who have used them are happy with, especially for the price. I wasn't recommending them as much as using them for a reference.


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

Whiteside catalog does not show the smaller bit that eagle america has The bits seemed to be manufactured similarly and I have wondered if they were whiteside bits


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## phillipsted (Sep 26, 2014)

Another lock miter "newbie" question.

Is it best to use some sort of jig or coping sled when routing lock miter joints? It seems like you'd have problems with snipe or dig-in at the end of the piece as you move it across the to outfeed fence... 

TedP


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

You should be okay on the horizontal cut but you could use a square push lock to help keep it square which will also help prevent blowout. For the vertical cut if the set up is perfect it should be okay but I have recommended clamping a board to the piece that rides the top of the fence to help. I made a rough Sketchup drawing of what I mean and it's in my uploads along with the link to the thread I did it for.


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