Was listening to an Jim Heavey (WW-Shows) say that he "knocked down" all corners/edges with a router--because finishes don't adhere to them very well. He also routes around inset cabinet doors (frames?) to help allow for wood movement while preserving the appearence. Are both of these approaches SOP? Thank you for further clarification! I'm sorry if this is on topic! ; )
Bill
True, but 220 sandpaper works just as well to "break the edges", and it allows the discerning craftsman an opportunity to go over the entire project up close and personal.
He also routes around inset cabinet doors (frames?) to help
How on earth could that be off topic, and what does it matter anyway?? ;)
I wouldn't call it SOP, but it is not unheard of ... although I doubt for the reason
On the outside of the doors (and drawer fronts?, the practice used to be called "Hollywood" style, and Sam Maloof might have been the instigator, although I seriously doubt that it was because of wood movement that he did it ... more likely because it makes it easier to fit and inset door.
I did it on these doors a few years back, mainly because I liked the look when the frame of a door is made out of contrasting material:
Yes Bill finishes tend to not adhere to a sharp edge. The finish will pull away from a sharp edge while applying. Using a router could be very time consuming, don't get into corners well, and very well may change the look of the project.
I use my finish sander to very lightly go over the edge a pass or two to ease the edge and often use a piece of foam backed 4.5"x 4.5" sand paper and break the edge manually. Softening the edge so that it is not likely to cut you if you run your finger against it is typically enough.
Unless you are really wanting to change the profile of the edge vs. making the sharp corner/edge not so sharp, a router is going to take you
4 times longer.
Well knocking down the corners is SOP, with a router ??? well you don't have to use a router. Many times I use a block plane, I like the edge better. But I do have a 1/8 radius bit in my old 1/4 " Craftsman (45-50 year old router).
An edge is too sharp, it will wear off quickly since it does not hold a lot of finish. Relieving them allows them to survive longer, and decreases the pain when one runs into a sharp edge.
As others have commented, at least the minimum w/ a sanding block and/or block plane or scraper is quite common...on some pieces for a purpose finish I'll use the router (a laminate trimmer is far more convenient btw) but with a chamfer rather than roundover--you can make it anywhere from nearly invisible to a "feature".
Then how do you deal with the inside corners, if you use the router?
Either leave or more commonly touch up by hand, obviously.
Bill wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news1.newsguy.com:
That's true -- mostly a question of surface tension. The finish will pull away from sharp edges.
There are other reasons for relieving edges as well: it provides a softer, more finished look; a sharp edge will wear much faster than a slightly rounded edge; and a sharp edge is uncomfortable to the touch.
I normally use sandpaper, but I've been known to use a table-mounted router with a 1/16" radius roundover bit too.
Jim Heavey may have had a bias since he was giving a "router workshop". Thanks for your reply!
...
Which is, of course, no different in principle than if use the block plane or other hand tool for the purpose ...
FWIW I considered the original OP's comment to " knock down" the corners so that the finish would adhere better to mean simply make the edge less sharp, not to add any kind of profile to the edge. There was no mention of adding a profile in the original post.
And if that were the case you might as well sand everything, the edges, lightly rather than use a tool for the same purpose and still have to hand sand the corners.
But if you are changing the profile then you would truly and obviously have to touch up by hand.
Sorry
Well, the discussion at the point I entered centered on using a router for the job and I commented that instead of a roundover I more often use a chamfer with a very small cut instead. End result is about the same as a single stroke of a block plane which barely noticeable -- the disadvantage is it takes a little to set up, the advantage is that if there's any grain variation the router doesn't have to worry about the direction as may have to with the plane.
Start a book in the middle and you miss a lot. ;~)
But, the beginning comment did mention a router to knock down the edges but no mention of doing anything past knocking down the edges.
And concerning a router not having issue with grain direction, yours must be magical. ;~)
On 2/5/2014 8:32 PM, Leon wrote: ...
With such a tiny cut of which we're talking and a sharp cutter it is...
To amplify just one last little bit, I like it because a) I have a very nice, small laminate trimmer so it isn't futzing w/ the big router to set it up, and b) it produces a crisp, consistently angle edge that is virtually identical to that obtained by a block plane set to take a minute shaving excepting the angle is automagically fixed without effort to ensure don't switch your wrist angle a little during a pass and it gets to within a hair of the corners that the block plane can't.
A scraper blade mounted at a 45 or other chosen angle in a 90-degree guide block can be set to make the same cut at a fixed depth and while it works well, it's more maintenance to sharpen/set than the trimmer so unless it's really high-end, handwork-only kind of project I've relegated it to the rarely used pile.
Veritas and others make roundover tools that work well; I've seen the same idea with a flat edge instead of round but don't know of anybody making them commercially at the moment...
I just think it's faster and particularly more consistent overall than trying to breakover an edge with paper when doing a whole set of cabinets or the like...for a "one-off" I'd go back to the scraper or plane unless it's already still set which since I do so little laminate work itself any more is a fairly like case...it may have been two year now since it's been touched given what I've been at recently--farm shop clean up w/ the idea of getting enough area to be able to get to the windows again before spring planting. Of course, this has been the target winter's project for this being the third winter now and progress is minimal given the interruptions of "real world" farm operation in winter... :(
imo, ymmv, $0.01, etc., etc., etc., ...
FWIW I used to use a router, and I do have a nice trim router too. The paper works faster for me.
On 2/7/2014 6:00 PM, Leon wrote: ...
...big snip...
When given a choice between a cutting/scraping operation and sanding, I'll take the cutting one virtually every time as a matter of personal preference--I _hate_ paper...
I have yet to meet a cutter that leaves a finish-ready surface. You're sanding, anyway... just ease the edge during that process. Heck, it's difficult to sand a sharp edge *without* rounding it over. :-)
Exactly how I see it.
To just break the edge, or to do a 1/16" roundover, I agree. For 1/4" I've been known to do it mostly with a plane and finish with sandpaper. For 3/8" and above, I break out the router :-).
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