Official Luthiers Forum!

I've been searching for a source for the Hitachi TR6, but they seem to have disappeared. I read somewhere once that they were OK for routing binding/purfling channels because they have an adjustable angle base, and have an index point that attaches to the trimmer body, independent of the base. Anyone here have any experience with these, or know of a source?
Meanwhile, while searching for the TR6, I found this from Homier, who I've never heard of before.

http://www.homier.com/detail.asp?SessionKey=dO0mUAXA8xpwGpef eAIAAiD%2fBHWLlcGcVPVElE4BVnks90N0o2rBmehMavwWnFGadOJJRQ%2bF yx2B&dpt=9&cat=108&sku=02735

For $10 I thought, why not?, and ordered one.

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

Chris, I have a TR6 and still use it quite a bit. Hitachi stopped making them a couple of years ago. There were some available on Amazon but I'm not sure if they have any left.

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Dave Rector
Rector Guitars

saw one of these the other day.. I was really impressed...

http://www.boschtools.com/tools/tools-detail.htm?
H=175980&G=66644&I=67466

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

No, Amazon doesn't have them anymore, nobody does.
That Bosch looks nice, but it's a fixed base without any side index. Oh well, guess I'll have to try to make something like John Mayes's rig on his binding video, that one looks pretty straightforward.

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

Chris, I don't think you will be happy with that HDC laminate trimmer in the long run. I bought one and the plastic holder cracked the first time I tightened it. I made the mistake of buying too many inexpensive tools starting out and have now had the unpleasant fortune of spending even more money to replace them. Try not to get caught in the same trap of buying everything at once. You can't go wrong with one of the Porter Cable trimmers and can sometimes pickup factory refurbished (PC 7310) from CPO Porter Cable on ebay for around $70. I have 2 and can't tell any difference from the store bought one.

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

If you can afford it, buy a PC 310-the most universally praised laminate trimmer on the market. Usually about $US159 plus shipping.I have read just about all of the luthier related forum posts and archives out there and except for a break-in period for the collet to easily release a bit, I can't recall a legitimate complaint. Mine is set up for rosettes with a Jasper circle jig and then goes directly to my Williams/Fleischman binding jig-three 8-32 screws each change.Micrometer-like adjustment and so smooth.Then pick up Pat Warner's accessory clear base set (recently $35 incl. ship.)and go crazy making all sorts of jigs with them.

Chris,
Homier is one of those outfits that travel around and sell at tool shows. They came through Memphis last year and I bought a couple of those $10 trimmers. The first time I used them, one of them burned up( as in smoke city) and the other one vibrated so bad it was virtually unusable. They did take them back though.

I agree with Mike about the pc 310. I've used a lot of different trimmers
and that is certainly my favorite. You can find factory reconditioned ones
for around 130, although a new one is only 30-40 more.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

I've been loving my Rigid R2400. Inexpensive, rock solid, easy to setup, and
available at Home Depots everywhere. As I primarily do repair work I use it a
lot for cutting saddle slots which it does like a dream!

[QUOTE=yukonarizona] I've been loving my Rigid R2400. Inexpensive, rock solid, easy to setup, and
available at Home Depots everywhere. As I primarily do repair work I use it a
lot for cutting saddle slots which it does like a dream![/QUOTE]

Yup...and a lifetime warranty! Also, no collet problems, comes with a fence and bearing guide,variable speed, soft start, and a hard case to store everything. Not bad for $100.00.

I'd never seen that Ridgid before. It looks handy, and I like the variable
speed.
Unfortunately I just couldn't bring myself to buy one unless I could get a
Bishop Cochran base for it .

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

I never hear anyone talk about Makita laminate trimmers. I have one and plan on getting another sometime in the future to leave set up on my binding jig full time.

I love this little trimmer, does everything I throw at it. It's great. And $120 canadian to boot.

Rod True38773.577337963

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

I have one of those too rod.

I scored this one on ebay for $20.00. It looks just the Makita. It's a Superior SPT 189. The price was OK. I haven't put it into action just yet. It maxes out at 20,000 rpm's?

I like the 310. It's a tiny router, really, all-metal, all-great. Doesn't come with fancy tilting bases or edge guides, though.

I have 4 of the Makita 3707FC's I love em.

I have one of the cheap makita-esqe knock offs too. IT totally sucks.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

I have several of the Rigid brand tools, and have been happy wih all of them.

Al

   Those $20 trimmers are not worth the cost. The runout is terrible. They will get you started but you may find they are not worth the trouble. I used to use them on my binders till I had a batch with bad quills.
   The best trimmer on the market for luthiers is the PC 7310. The base has a thumbscrew adjuster that is great for dialing in the perfect depth. I guess it comes down to you get what you pay for.
    It is very painful to ruin a $1000 set of BRW because you "saved money " on a cheap tool.
john hall
blues creek guitars

Points taken regarding those cheap trimmers. I do intend on getting
some good quality ones, but I have some other non luthier
applications that the junk ones will work for OK. I'm looking at one
of those Rigid R2400's right now.

CrowDuck

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Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

I bought myself a PC 7310 John, so in your experience it's the real deal for what we do ?

the Porter cable trimmers are very nice too.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

I love mine. I have makita and the PC7310. The base on the porter cable makes fine adjustments so much easier
john

Amazon's selling the PC 7310for $93.09.

They also are selling the 310 for $209.

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

I have a Bosch and a PC 310. They both are very nice. I don't like the way the Bosch base adjusts up and down though. It never seems quite vertical to me. The PC 310 is a workhorse. It also looks like a droid from Star Wars. That's the real upside to it!

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."