Minimizing splintering while routing oak?

I like to work with quartersawn oak but many a project has been lengthened by pieces destroyed by splintering of oak during routing.

What can I do to minimize this? I have reduced the rpm's to about

14,000, am using a Freud 3.25 hp router (in a table), sharp bits, and my feed rate is neither fast nor slow.

Perhaps the cuts I am taking are too aggressive? Last night I cut a rabbet (with a CMT rabbet bit) 3/32 x 1/2 inch in one pass (red oak) and had significant splintering. Is that too much to take in one pass or is this just the nature of the wood?

Suggestions?

TIA

App

Reply to
Appkiller
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Unless you're spinning a really big bit, there's no need to reduce the router speed that much.

Some of both. IMO that's too much to take in one pass, in oak. Probably would have worked just fine in maple.

Depends on the type of oak, also. IME, red oak is much more prone to splintering than white oak.

Keep the router speed at maximum and take lighter cuts, and I think you'll have better luck.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

For a copy of my TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter, send email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com

Reply to
Doug Miller

I use various combinations of the following:

Use only high quality, sharp bits; cut your workpieces longer than needed when possible so you can cut off any teaout; use a sacrificial board to back up the cut; climb cut corners; take small cuts, use proper speed settings (generally the highest possible for the bit); make test cuts on scrap with similar grain direction.

Even then, Murphy may insure that tearout will occur on your last piece, so cut a couple of extras parts that need routing when you start your project.

Reply to
Swingman

It is nice if you can leave some scrap on the end and cut the bad part off afterwards. Or, have a piece of scrap next to it to protect it.

Of course you want something simpler. Do the last bit first, very slowly. That will usually work, but may cause severe control or burn problems, so be ready for it. Hand holding a climb cut can be difficult; I always clamp to a sled.

Reply to
Toller

cool. Now when are you going to set the 4/1 fool hook?

lmao, Myx

Reply to
Myxylplyk

April Fools Day or not, I was getting tired of tear-out on the end-grain of red oak running through the box joint jig on end and also on cutting tenons on the flats. Solution was simply to use a utility knife to lightly score (LIGHTLY) the cut before taking it to the machines. Doesn't have to be exact. Works wonders.

Reply to
Tom Kohlman

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