OK, I finally have my router table in operation and am looking for hints on the height adjustment for rail and stile bits. Short of making a lot of test cuts on scrap is there a good way to adjust the height of the cut on the ends of the rails so they match flush with the stiles?
actually, it's pretty easy, Ed. You do it empirically:
1) Cut the copes on the rails first. 2) Remove the bit and install the stile bit. 3) Adjust the height by placing the rail profile up against the bit and eyeball it from the side so that the tongue will line up with the groove cutter portion of the stile bit. 4) go for it! cut a piece and double check that it's flush to your satisfaction. if my tired old eyes can do it on the first try, I'm sure you can too.dave
Ed Foster wrote:
Do all the crossgrain cuts first. That way, as you pass the wood past the bit, you can use a block of wood to push it through, thus preventing blowout. I also recommend using a sled, or miter gauge to keep the stock from tipping into the bit, and nasty things happening.
After that, when you change bits, run the cut, and it will be apparent it you have the height right. You did cut a couple extra scraps of endgrain, didn't you?
Hwo about a c shaped gage that sits on the table and locates on the top of the bit...one for each cut. The leg of the C that teaches over the bit would obviously be longer.
I'll bet if you made some of these out of brass and ebony you could get $20 each in a catalog!
Wilson
how about just keeping a piece of a properly cut workpiece, marked for safekeeping, thrown into your router cabinet drawers? That's how I can quickly set the depth of the first bit; the rail bit.
dave
Wils> Hwo about a c shaped gage that sits on the table and locates on the top of
Bay Area Dave wrote, wondering if this is really what he meant?
See dave suggestion above and then try this: Once you get your bit height where you want it you can either use a scrape piece of 3/4" and run it through or they make this plastic poly stuff for that exact purpose, comes in long or short lengths that you can do the same and it makes a great template for later use and fast setups.
Rich
spend the next week browing around John's site at
Greg
This method works great for me. Rather than buying HDPE specifically for setup blocks, I use small scraps of MDF. That is, if I don't use a scrap of the actual material the doors are made of.
Barry
Gregg, you are so right. But to set the height of rail and stile, start with coping bit (bearing in center) and adjust the height until you see 1/8" on underside. That will give you a very important lip on the profile. Make the cuts on ends of rails and then switch bits. If they are a match set, no setup required, otherwide set up to fit the rail cuts. This is a google search that will get you rail and stile bits.
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