using a flush trim bit without digging into wood

[Toller]

I have a 1617 also. I have used it a few times to trim and edge and it has always worked nicely. I don't know what to say, except you have to hold it steady.

[Rob V]

There is a neat jig in shopsmith (as well as on the net somewhere) that helps routing on the edge. Sorry - but i dont have a link - but DAGS and you should find it.

[Mike in Mystic]

The simplest and most effective approach I know of is to simply gang together several pieces of plywood or whatever so that the router base has a large surface to sit on. After that, the best addition is to use an offset router base so that you have some way of offsetting the router's tendency to tip as you turn a corner, etc.

Look here for more info:

. I've bought several of his router baseplates and they are a great addition to my routers.

Mike

[Mike G]

Get one of those tear shaped off set sub bases. They'll allow you to have more bearing area to rest the router on.

[Jerry Fangman]

Everytime I've tried to do use a flushtrim bit to trim edgebanding on plywood, I end up cutting an ugly gash into the piece. I'm using a Bosch

1617, which is considered a medium sized router, and a CMT bearing bit.

I suppose trim routers, because of their weight, are best suited to this task but there are about a hundred other things I need to spend my money on these days (most notably, my newborn son!) Is there anything I can do to avoid "dipping" the router into the work? My attempts to keep it level invariably fail, and that's when I gouge my wood.

Thanks

[Mark Jerde]

In a WW book I read the author uses the table saw instead of router for trimming edgebanding. He says it is faster and more accurate. The trick is putting a board on your TS fence that doesn't go all the way down to the table. Have the bottom of the board somewhat higher than the thickness of the edging.

Sorry, I don't recall which book.

-- Mark

[B a r r y]

Do you have a photo? Seeing the damage may provide more clues to what is going wrong.

I use that setup, with a different brand of bit, and don't really see what can go wrong.

Barry

[RB]

I use a Bosch 1617 sometimes although for trimming edge banding I prefer my laminate trimmer. The bit needs to be clean though. If you pick up any adhesive on the bearing surface of the bit it may damage the edge. I keep a can of adhesive remover out and clean the bit after each pass.

RB

B a r r y wrote:

[Routerman P. Warner]

See picture link, hard to tip the router over with this much control:

*************************************************************> Everytime I've tried to do use a flushtrim bit to trim edgebanding on

[Eric Ryder]

If you are tilting the router base, or the edgebanding face is not square to the plywood face then you'll groove the ply. The setup I use on the router table is to bring the fence in to keep the shelf stock square to the table. To adapt this concept to a portable router, make a thicker subbase and drill/tap in a starter pin square to the subbase. Concentrate on keeping the ply face in contact with the pin.

In addition, retract the bit to the minimum required to clean up the edgebanding.

Luck!

[WoodChuck34]

I've read some interesting responses to your post. This should be a relatively easy fix. Here it goes:

Get an offset base for your router. (

)

If you don't want to buy one, make one. Get a flat piece of wood from your scrap bin that is at least as wide as your router's diameter, and at least twice as long. Drill holes to match your factory baseplate. Screw it onto your router. Put a handle or knob on the far end. That should eliminate the propensity to tip.

Chuck

[Pat Barber]

Two things:

Set the bit so that only the amount of blade needed for the trim is exposed to the wood.

On really thin stock(3/4") you should double or triple the width by adding scrap stock, to at least get a decent base for the router to set on.

Trimming edge banding requires a fair amount of practice.

Some times a block plane might be a better choice.

Jerry Fangman wrote:

[Yahoo]

Has anybody built the jig from the Router Magic book that configures the router to use the bottom of a straight bit to remove the banding waste and the sole of the jig riding on the ply

[Pounds on Wood]

I think Pat has the most important tip here. If you don't expose too much carbide then if you tip it just stops cutting, and cannot dig in. First timers tend to shoot for centering the laminate on whatever amount of carbide the bit happens to have. That's way more exposed cutting edge that is needed.

--

[Peter Green]

Just a shot in the dark here, but have you tried to use a piece of scrap, equal to the thickness of your work piece, to support your router on the other side of the bit?

Regards,

[e-mail] ICQ:135397134

[Damned if i know]

Just a shot in the dark here, but have you tried to use a piece of scrap, equal to the thickness of your work piece, to support your router on the other side of the bit?

Regards,

[e-mail] ICQ:135397134

[Chipper Wood]

It is difficult to balance the router on the narrow banding and move the router without tilting the cutter. If you are planing to do this trimming often, there is a special fence attachment for most routers with an offset space for the untrimmed edging available that will stabilize the router to the plywood face surface and keep the bit from gouging. With some 1 x 6s. 2 woodscrews and a little ingenuity you can devise one.

Chipper Wood

useours, yours won't work

Just a shot in the dark here, but have you tried to use a piece of scrap, equal to the thickness of your work piece, to support your router on the other side of the bit?

Regards,

[e-mail] ICQ:135397134