I looked at both LMII and Stewmac's molds: not thrilled about either.
1. LMII doesn't specify the thickness of the mold: one could ask, but it looks too thin for my preference. Stewmac states theirs is 2": mine are deeper (thicker) than that and I wouldn't want to use a mold that's only 2" deep on 4" deep side. Too much side is unsupported.
2. The LMII spreaders can't be removed through the sound hole, meaning that either top or back, depending on your assembly sequence, can't be glued on with the spreaders in place.
3. I don't understand the hinge pins in the LMII mold. They look like they would be in the way half the time. I don't see a video anywhere that shows the use of the molds and hinges.
4. The stewmac molds are rectangular. Most clamping should be done perpendicular to the guitar shape (i.e. the inside shape). Having a rectangular outside will make clamping difficult in a variety of situations, hence most molds follow the shape of the guitar.
I didn't use molds for the first two decades of my guitar making. Instead, I used the system that I learned from Charles Fox - a flat board with slots and dowels. It works just about as well as an outside mold, but the shape can be changed in seconds. It doubles as a work board and a means of clamping bindings in place while glue dries.
Making one's own molds isn't difficult with a bandsaw or jigsaw and a router. It does take time, though. The LMII mold is a good price, compared to one's time and the cost of materials, but it isn't the design I would use. I'm sure it would work, though.
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