router questions

[countinsheep]

I am rounding the corners of some 3/4" hard maple and at times the wood will split out a small piece where I am turning the corners. Can someone tell me how to avoid this?

thank you!!

II

[speedbuggy]

Start on the end grain first and use a backer (sacrificial) board. You rout the end grain and continue right in to the backer board. Of course the backer board has to be flush with your good piece.

Hope that helps a bit.

[Lew Hodgett]

[e-mail] wrote: > I am rounding the corners of some 3/4" hard maple and at times the wood > will split out a small piece where I am turning the corners. Can > someone tell me how to avoid this?

Use a piece of scrap to support the piece you're cutting.

Make your first cut across the grain allowing the cutter to carry out onto the scrap.

Lew

[DJ Delorie]

Sometimes masking tape can provide a little extra strength to hold the bits together (i.e. apply tape before routing, where splintering is expected). Otherwise, a climb cut (carefully!) may help avoid the splintering.

Could you be more specific about which part is being rounded? Changing the technique so that the bit cuts the fibers from a different direction may help, if possible.

[countinsheep]

I am routering fishing lures that are 7-8 inches in length, 1.5 inches tall from back to belly and made from 3/4" hard maple. I generally start along the back of the lure then move the lure to the left against the blade, then around the tail and stop. Then rotate the lure so the tail is now on the left and proceed again until the side is done. Once done I flip the lure over and do the other side. I use no fences or push guards or anything like that because I could never figure out just how to make them work.

Please excuse my lack of knowledge when it comes to using a router, everything I know I have learned by trial and error in my shop with no guidance. I have done thousands in this way without a mishap but the router scares me every single time!

II

DJ Delorie wrote:

[Leon]

Make the first pass shallow and only at problem areas reverse the direction that you are pushing the router.

[bridgerfafc]

cut the other direction at the corners.

[DJ Delorie]

Sounds like a tough call. The idea of routing in multiple passes sounds good. Another idea is to find a router bit with a larger diameter (bit diameter, not the radius of the cut profile). For example, a shaper bit has less tear-out because the cutting edge isn't pulling away from the wood as much due to the "flatter" path it follows (much larger radius of travel).

If you do a lot of these, you might want to set up a second router in a table or hung under a piece of wood, with a bit the next size smaller, to pre-cut the edges. For example, for a 1/4" radius, the pre-cut could be 3/16".

Also, if the bit isn't sharp, replace it. Buy carbide, not HSS. Bits don't last forever.

[Swingman]

Are you using a router table?

[Bruce Barnett]

[snip]

I don't blame you! With items as small as these, you need a good method to keep your fingers 12+ inches away from the spinning bit.

Perhaps your method of holding the wood could be improved? In some factories, they have foot-activated compressed air holddown jigs to hold small parts in place. I don't know of a source for that, but I've seen cam-action jig clamps that could be used:

[pat]

Can be done safely with little or no tearout or explosions. Problem: High cutter traction on poorly fixtured workpiece. Work has to fixtured and traction reduced. The fixturing: Might require screws or vacuum chuck. To be sure, if the work squirms you will break the piece or it will run amok.

Now then, to reduce the traction: Use a plunger with a new cutter. Let the plunger take no more than a 1/16/pass. At that level there is no remarkable energy transfer from router to work. Expect perfection. If the router bobbles or the work squirms it's curtains. Test this thoroughly on scrap.

(Routers)

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