Sommerfeld tools easy set router bit setter

[Dave huber]

Does anyone have experience with this?

Does it work as advertised?

how big a difference between Summerfeld's and the Freud jig?

How useful are either jig with other brand lock miter bits?
thanks.

Dave

[John Grossi]

I have bought from this company a number of times. Dvd's, raised panel router set, tongue and groove set. I do not own this particular jig, but would not hesitate. A small, innovative company that sells high quality tools. John

[Charles Lent]

I have both. The Sommerfeld works great for setting Sommerfeld bits and the Freud works for setting Freud bits. Their bits are slightly different, so you won't be able to use one jig for setting both brands of bits, except for maybe the height of the tongue and groove bits. These jigs work very well, if you stick with the matching brand of bit.

Charley

[Julie Moriarty]

I met Marc Sommerfeld at a wood show in the mid 90's. He was demonstrating his raised panel router bit set, made then by CMT. I was so impressed I bought the set. I think it was around $330. Today you can buy it on his website for about $210.

It catapulted me into raised panel door making. I built lots of furniture knowing I had that bit set. It's way too easy!

CMT and Sommerfeld have gone their separate ways. Marc's innovations have been emulated by Freud and CMT seems to have kept some ownership to Marc's designs. Personally, I think the whole concept Marc created has taken the router table almost into the realm of the shaper.

I have some of his videos (on VHS) and he lays down the steps in a "you can't go wrong" sort of way. The guy is first class. But I'll admit, I haven't bought his bits since his break with CMT. FWIW.

BTW, I was so high on the guy, I bought the templates for all the different style doors, his door handle drilling jig and a lot of other things he designed. I use them whenever making doors and drawers.

[Alan Schaffter]

Dave got some answers over on WoodCentral- some reported that Sommerfeld's jig only works with his bits. That is a common problem with most setup blocks, too. For those who don't go there here is my WC response:

Oh boy, Oh boy! You guys opened the door!!!!

I have had a lock miter bit for years but never used it. I read all the horror stories about how hard it is to set, most were pretty accurate. But not any more!!!

Forgive my self-promotion, but a few months ago I decided to dig out my bit and attempt to use it on a project (see first two pics). But before I started, I put on my thinking cap. What resulted surprised even me- l designed a neat little (really little) jig specifically for setting lock miter router bits and shaper cutters- any brand, any size!!! It is incredibly simple to use and, unlike my other design, the INCRA I-BOX, this new jig has no moving parts!

As a bonus, unlike the very expensive GrooveCenter by Prazi, it doesn't require any special calibration or computation of a "sweet spot". You are NOT limited to 3/4" thick stock like with most setup blocks. Also, unlike setup blocks and the Prazi, the halves of the joint can be different thicknesses! The faceframe can be 3/4" (or any thickness within the range of the bit) and the cabinet sides can be a different thickness- comes in handy especially since "3/4" ply isn't 3/4" these days?. Instead of milling solid wood faceframes to the same thickness as metric or other size plywood sides, e.g. 23/32" etc., you can use the jig to make a simple adjustment to the bit/fence setup- and no calipers are needed!

As an added bonus my jig will also allow you to easily set the bit and fence to cut "offset lock miters" - there are four additional reference lines that allow you to shift the miter line "around the corner" from 1/16" to 1/4" in 1/16" increments so you can ease, round-over (or chamfer) the sharp mitered corner without having a miter line in the middle of it and without cutting through the surface veneer and exposing the inner plies of plywood sides.

This is NOT vaporware as the saying goes. I have already licensed the design to one of the usual suspects and it is being readied for production now. It should be on the market within a few months!!! (I call it the "Lock Miter Master" but the manufacturer may come up with his own name.)

My project- a bookcase with maple faceframes and plywood box. This pic shows three intersecting lock miter joints. Not too bad?



Lock miter joint between faceframe and bookcase top:




Here are drawings and sample (dry fit) joints made possible with the jig:

Standard lock miter joint:



Faceframe (walnut) thicker than side (poplar):





Faceframe (walnut) thinner than side (poplar):





Offset miter (before rounding):

[Jim Neeley]

I have Sommerfeld's bit setter, 5 sets of his bits and his DVDs. I've attached a picture of my first-ever attempt at making a raised door panel bit setter and bits.

As you see they work every bit as well as advertised. :-) I'm not a major maker or raised panel doors but have made them 5 or 6 times, 1-2 doors at a time and each and every time they came out looking just this awesome.

I also recommend the DVDs for someone starting out wanting to see how easy router work is to execute,

Jim

[Alan Lightstone]

I have it also, and it works well. Made my first raised panel as a total newbie and it came out great:DSC_9054.jpg

[William C Rogers]

I have the Sommerfeld setting jig. I have used it with the tongue and groove and shaker door bits and the jig works well with those. I like the way I can switch back and forth between bits with the Sommerfeld system. The tongue and groove bit make a strong cabinet and the offset allows you to be able to scribe the cabinet to the wall. I also have the Woodline cabinet bits I have used for my present kitchen cabinets. The bits are fine, but requires more set up than the Sommerfeld. I have the Sommerfeld miter angle bit set, but have not used that set or a ogee rail and still set. I also have the Sommerfeld Easy Bore jig for the Blum hinges. Very well made and would buy again. If I only had a few doors to drill I could set up on a drill press, but I have about 60 to do and after all the work in the door the last thing I want is to have a problem with a drill press set up that is wrong. I have done about 20 doors so far and every one is perfect. I am sure there are other quality bits such as Freud and Whiteside, but would most likely buy the Sommerfeld again having used them.

[George Bokros]

Dave got some answers over on WoodNet - some reported that Sommerfeld's jig only works with his bits. That is a common problem with most setup blocks, too. For those who don't go there here is my WN response:

Oh boy, Oh boy! You guys opened the door!!!!

I have had a lock miter bit for years but never used it. I read all the horror stories about how hard it is to set, most were pretty accurate. But not any more!!!

Forgive my self-promotion, but a few months ago I decided to dig out my bit and attempt to use it on a project (see first two pics). But before I started, I put on my thinking cap. What resulted surprised even me- l designed a neat little (really little) jig specifically for setting lock miter router bits and shaper cutters- any brand, any size!!! It is incredibly simple to use and, unlike my other design, the INCRA I-BOX, this new jig has no moving parts!

As a bonus, unlike the very expensive GrooveCenter by Prazi, it doesn't require any special calibration or computation of a "sweet spot". You are NOT limited to 3/4" thick stock like with most setup blocks. Also, unlike setup blocks and the Prazi, the halves of the joint can be different thicknesses! The faceframe can be 3/4" (or any thickness within the range of the bit) and the cabinet sides can be a different thickness- comes in handy especially since "3/4" ply isn't 3/4" these days?. Instead of milling solid wood faceframes to the same thickness as metric or other size plywood sides, e.g. 23/32" etc., you can use the jig to make a simple adjustment to the bit/fence setup- and no calipers are needed!

As an added bonus my jig will also allow you to easily set the bit and fence to cut "offset lock miters" - there are four additional reference lines that allow you to shift the miter line "around the corner" from 1/16" to 1/4" in 1/16" increments so you can ease, round-over (or chamfer) the sharp mitered corner without having a miter line in the middle of it and without cutting through the surface veneer and exposing the inner plies of plywood sides.

This is NOT vaporware as the saying goes. I have already licensed the design to one of the usual suspects and it is being readied for production now. It should be on the market within a few months!!! (I call it the "Lock Miter Master" but the manufacturer may come up with his own name.)

My project- a bookcase with maple faceframes and plywood box. This pic shows three intersecting lock miter joints. Not too bad?



Lock miter joint between faceframe and bookcase top:




Here are drawings and sample (dry fit) joints made possible with the jig:

Standard lock miter joint:



Faceframe (walnut) thicker than side (poplar):





Faceframe (walnut) thinner than side (poplar):





Offset miter (before rounding):

I will be waiting for this for sure.

[Dave huber]

This is good info to know.


i've got a mix of bits. Some are easier to set up than others.


Easier now than before I installed a lift, but the lock mitre bits are a real pain for me. I have avoided using them, anticipating the hassle.


I'll wait to see Alan's mystery thingie I think. I was hoping the Sommerfeld device might solve the problem, and it night. I have other brands. Perhaps I'll get the model dialed in for the Freud bits and see how it goes.


Thanks.

[johnny means]

Come on guys. These things are not that difficult to do. Make a few test cuts, study the results, and gain an understanding of how your tooling works. It's not some black art. Before you know it you'll be able to set up and adjust these things with a test cut or two and be able to diagnose any set up with a glance at the results.

[Mike Goetzke]

Dave got some answers over on WoodCentral- some reported that Sommerfeld's jig only works with his bits. That is a common problem with most setup blocks, too. For those who don't go there here is my WC response:

As stated above Sommerfeld offers TWO jigs - one (yellow) for his bits and another (red) for Freud bits.

[Alan Schaffter]

What if you have a Whiteside, CMT, MLCS, Lee Valley, Amana, Infinity, Eagle America, Wood River, etc. lock miter bit? Many, though not all, are different (some might be made in the same factory in Taiwan, China, Italy?). One advantage of the Sommerfeld jig pictured below is that it can be used to set some of his other bits.

Does anyone know if the Sommerfeld jig can be used to set the fence position, which is just as critical and must be done as precisely as bit height, for a lock miter set-up?*

Of course, once you find the bit and fence settings that work for you using trial and error, you can take readings with a Wixey (built-in, or handheld) and make a table of settings. As long as you calibrate a built-in Wixey or measure to the same point on the bit with a handheld unit, each time, you will be able to instantly reproduce any setting, but it will only work IF THE STOCK USED IS THE SAME THICKNESS AS WHEN YOU TOOK THE READINGS and as long as BOARDS ON EACH SIDE OF the JOINT ARE THE SAME THICKNESS. It is that trial and error business that may need to be repeated each time you use a lock miter bit that bothers me and how do you handle stock of unequal thickness and offset miters?



* For those following this thread who have never used a lock miter bit or do not fully understand what is involved in setting it, there are 4 very critical factors: Bit height, Fence position, board A thickness, board B thickness. If you fail to address each one precisely during lock miter bit setup and use, the joint will not be right. In two cases (offset lock miter and joint with stock of different thicknesses) the setup for board A will be different than the setup for board B. (all easily done with my jig by the way )

FYI, the instructions supplied with most, if not all lock miter bits are often vague, confusing, and in many cases DOWNRIGHT WRONG! Many end up being nothing more than trial and error!

[Alan Schaffter]

Come on guys. These things are not that difficult to do. Make a few test cuts, study the results, and gain an understanding of how your tooling works. It's not some black art. Before you know it you'll be able to set up and adjust these things with a test cut or two and be able to diagnose any set up with a glance at the results.

Johnny, I don't disagree with you- that is the nature of craftsmanship.

There are a lot of folks doing woodworking however that haven't (may never) reached that level or don't have (never will?) the same ability to analyze in 3D, but would like to use a lock miter joint. I rank my ability to visualize 3D problems pretty high, but was always intimidated by the lock miter bit until I intentionally focused on its design and use.

I think my jig will allow the average woodworker to successfully use a lock miter bit well before he develops a full understanding of how it all works, especially when attempting an off-set lock miter or using stock of different thicknesses. Remember, many woodworkers still buy 3/4" S4S hardwood and ply that is NOT 3/4" at big box stores- for the novice that could take a significant amount of test cuts to get it right. Based on my unscientific survey of posts on multiple forums, there are quite a few folks looking for an easier way.

[Ole Anderson]

I just ordered a 21 mm bent wrench from the Sommerfield catalog for my Hitachi router. I was considering the bit setting jig, the yellow one, but I didn't take the time to see how to use it, so I passed. Might have to revisit that decision as I have another 12 raised panels to make for my kitchen cabinets.