Mitre Mite help!

[FramerDave]

I'm dealing with a Mitre Mite VN-42, a joiner I'm not very familiar with. Can someone help?

I'm trying to join a tall-ish swan profile, and every time the rabbet clamp comes forward, it spreads the joint apart at the top.

If anyone more familiar with this machine knows a solution I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

[smantecon]

I have the VN-42 and experience the same problem with certain
tall profiles. You will need to play with the angle on the fences and make sure the fence is even with the moulding. Sometimes though on certain mouldings, I need to just use the vice and then nail later.

 

[Richard Darling]

I have the same problem occasionally. Sometimes it helps to shim the backside of the moulding at the end of the fence with various thicknesses of paper or light cardboard. But sometimes gluing in the vice first is the best way to go.

 

[Ray]

It also sounds like your mitre may not be perfectly perpindicular.IE wider open at the top than the bottom.

 

[j Paul]

Don't know that it would work on this profile, but someone on the Grumble once suggested using Larson Juhls weights for padding for irregular profiles between moulding and presser foot. That works great for me in filling those voids and odd shapes. ( Be careful if you use other brands of weights as some are filled with a courser shot and they can leave dimples in your moulding.)

 

[Val]

I have a Mitre Mite VN2 (old one). Pre-glueing is the key for me on the tall ones (I actually pre-glue/vise nearly everything, because of the reason you said, Dave.) I've also used the LJ weights, they work pretty well, but sometimes too bulky. I'm thinking of tearing one apart and making a smaller version, just for joining the weirdos. I usually use a piece of leather chamois between the pressure foot and the mldg.

 

[j Paul]

Originally posted by Val:
I've also used the LJ weights, they work pretty well, but sometimes too bulky. I'm thinking of tearing one apart and making a smaller version, just for joining the weirdos.

Val, just try shaking the stuffing down to the other end when you don't need so much bulk there, or slightly back off on the pressure.

 

[Val]

Never thought of that! Geeze, that would be too easy, wouldn't it?

Thanks!

 

[Lance E]

I have a similar machine and simply take the inside clamp off or move it back so it doesn't make it to the frame. Then they join fine.

 

[Jerry Ervin]

Sometimes you just need to back the rabbet clamp away and use only the top top clamp.

After a while I will just come natural to you when to use the rabbet clamp, and when not to.