Router Question

You want to move quickly to avoid burning. A deeper cut means moving slowly, which means burning...

Dave Balderstone wrote in news:130920042310299207%dave@N_O_T_T_H_I_S.balderstone.ca:

These are those native american flutes you're building, right? Make yourself a simple jig to hold the work, so that mistakes don't draw blood. A notched 2x4 will probably do.

Work safely. Take pictures. Share.

Patriarch

Patriarch.... I swear you are keeping an eye on me.... LOL So do you think 1/16 to 1/8 is correct? I have advice for safe depth cuts all the way up to 1/2" deep passes. Guess I will have to run some tests. Can you explain your "notched 2x4 setup?" I was planning on making a jig with clamps but always looking for a better and easier way.

-thanks

"patriarch snipped-for-privacy@nospam.comcastDOTnet" Dave Balderstone wrote in

"buck" wrote in news:b4fff$41469629$4503c985$ snipped-for-privacy@msgid.meganewsservers.com:

Yea, what Dave said is correct about the depth of cut. Remember you're pushing hardwood through a carbide bit spinning at 18000 rpm. Respect the physics of that situation.

On the notched 2x4 thing: Looking at the tubafor from the end, think L- shaped cross section, laying over on top of the piece you want to cut. Then glue a push block across the end, partially closing up the rabbet. What you're trying to do is get really positive control on the workpiece, and keep your original equipment fingers intact. Oh, and no metal fasteners, please.

You can make a jig with clamps, too, or instead. I just tend to make mine quick, and disposable. If the jig gets used up making the part, no big deal.

There's almost nothing I know in woodworking that someone else hasn't explained to me. Independent discovery, while neat in theory, can leave scar tissue. Creativity at the router table can come with a high price.

And it's always nice to learn something new.

Patriarch

I'm building a router table and am blessed enough to have 2 routers. One is a small yellow black & decker 1/4" router. I think 3/4 hp. The other is a

Any thoughts?

Buck, As I understand this, you are routing two grooves and then sandwiching them together to end up with a round hole running the length of the wood, creating a flute. Should this be the case, burning is not a big issue. (Note: Cherry burns very easily.) You could make a deeper cuts, 1/4" first and second then finish with 1/16" finish cuts.

This process is much easier on a router table but with Patriarch's plan it will work fine. Absent a router table, you might consider hogging most of the slot out with a dado blade in your TS and finishing with the router.

Dave

If you attach the plunge router to a removable base that's flush-mounted in your router table, you can easily remove it for hand-held use, and you'll have the added benefit of a large, rectangular base. Think about it. It works great!

Dave Balderstone wrote in news:130920042310299207%dave@N_O_T_T_H_I_S.balderstone.ca:

This is a bigger issue with cherry, which burns essentially instantly, than with mahogany. Also, cherry has a tendency to chip out/tear out/ do nasty things if you try & cut too deep (and the forces get too high). Mahogany doesn't do that. So you could be a bit more agressive with mahogany, if you choose.

John

"patriarch snipped-for-privacy@nospam.comcastDOTnet"

Unless you have access to a router table. Pushing the part along a fence makes for easy and safe cutting. I'd take maybe 1/8" off. Ed

I'd take 1/8" each pass, preferably using a router table. A table is safer and removes the sawdust better than you can do with hand holding the router. Be safe.

In general you want the higher HP router (and larger chuck) as your table router. You'll use the table router to handle larger bits that would not be safe in a hand held unit. Try to get a fixed base for your Ryobi. You should probably have at least 1 1/2 HP for a table router if you plan to use bits larger than 1 1/2 inch diameter and work with hardwoods.

TWS