As so many of us have to deal with, my shop size is small and so is my budget. I try to make do with what I have. As a result, I've been learning about using my router and it's table as an edge jointer. My principle reason for edging is of course edge gluing.
Has anyone else used this method? Any hints on using it effectivly and efficiently? How far does the out-feed side of my fence need to be as compared to the in-feed side?
Whatever method you are using now for face jointing should work equally well for edge jointing... shouldn't it?
-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?
The problem with this is that, unlike a jointer, both sides of your table fence, which is serving as the table, are coplanar.
The proper way to use a router as an edge jointer is by running it along a straight edge guide clamped to the work.
There was an article about this recently in one of the woodworking magazines. Popular Woodworking I think it was....... May have been the issue that covered jigs and fixtures. Am doing this myself. planned on having my auxiliary fence (mine is mounted to my table saw) 1/16" thicker from the midline on and covered with UHMW. Will simply adjust the fence so that the straight bit is flush with the thicker part of the aux fence.
Any advice from someone who has done this would be most welcome. Have bought the UHMW but have not managed to assemble everything yet. Too many other projects going on right now....
Thanks in advance, Bill
the issue is NOT how far out from the infeed side. the issue is that the outfeed needs to be flush with the cutter. adjust the router bit for a small cleanup cut and set the outfeed side so it supports the workpiece (meaning that the outfeed will be set ever so slightly proud of the infeed side). typical cutting depth would be around 1/32" or
1/16" but it doesn't have to be any particular dimension, as you can adjust the fence to the router bit, regardless of measured depth of cut.dave
Chip wrote:
Geez, Doug, do you think you answered his question???
sigh.
dave
Doug Miller wrote:
Not if he has a split fence.
And if he does not have a split fence, try:
Get a solid straight piece of wood, say 1-1/2" thick, three to four inches wide and as long as your router table.
Cut out a semi-circle where the router bit goes. Select a size about twice the diameter of your edging bit. So if you use a 3/4" bit for the router, make your semi circle about 1-1/2" in diameter.
Get a length of vertical and general purpose plastic laminate. A bit wider as the wood above is thick, and each piece about 1/2" as long as the wood above is long.
Glue the vertical grade on the "infeed" side of the stick and the general purpose plastic laminate on the "outfeed" side. The difference between the two is usually between
1/32" to 1/16".Trim up the plastic laminate.
Thus both surfaces get a long lasting wear surface.
To use, one uses another straight edge placed along the outfeed side and will position the fence so it just touches the router bit when the bit goes through the widest part of it cutting circle. The router is unplugged during this part for safety reasons.
Another method to position the fence is trial and error, with the routor turned off for each adjustment until the fence is correctly positioned.
I did this for many years, split fence, simple 1/4" collet sears router. (27years ago, when all I knew was sears). One day while using the 1/4" straight bit broke and flew past my ear, I was lucky. I remember the eiry sound as it flew past. Make sure you use a 1/2" shank bit. If I were to use a router as a jointer again, I'd make a jig with a straight edge so I wouldn't be using the router upside down.
Phil
Chip wrote:
Just once, think before you post, Dave, even it hurts.
IF he's face-jointing the boards somehow, he can use the same method to edge-joint them -- and if he *isn't* face-jointing them, then he needs to find some way of doing that *first* before he can successfully edge-joint them on a router table -- and then he can use that method to edge-joint them too.
So YES, I did answer his question. Maybe not the way he was expecting. But I did answer it. Sorry it was too difficult for you.
-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?
What, you can't do this on your table saw??
I am "jointer challenged" but I prepare glue ups on my table saw from time to time. Anything under 3 foot ling- I can make a nice butt joint just using the table saw.
-Dan V.
The router, table, and fence are short and will not work well unless you are going to joint really short boards. You could however clamp a straight edge on top of your board and use that straight edge to guide your router. If you use this method be sure not to spin the router as you slide it along the straight edge guide. Most bases and or guide bushings are not perfectly centered to the bit and may cause an edge that is not straight.
Instead of using the router as a jointer, what about just using it to route a straight line, or better yet route a groove (full depth) between two boards. Clamp the boards down with a space of 1/8 to 1/4 inch less than the width of the straight bit. Then clamp a straight edge on one board to put the bit down the center of the space. Even if the router turns some as you move it, and even if the straight edge isn't perfectly straight you should still end up with the edges that are mirrors and fit together.
I've never used this method but I don't see why it wouldn't work. If anyone has used this method and found a problem, maybe they will comment.
I have used an old drywall t-square and a flush trim bit that has the bearing on the top. This method has worked well many times that the shop was just too far to go for one last piece. I don't know if I would want to use this method as my primary method, but it can provide and acceptable edge for jointing. One thing I will point out is that it takes more clamping force that spring clamps can produce, and it doesn't seem to matter how many you use. DAMHIKT.
Howard
spoken in the inimitable style of a...JERK!
dave
Doug Miller wrote:
Pot - kettle - black
-- Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?
you went down without a fight!
I'm disappointed in you. :)
I'll get over it.
dave
Doug Miller wrote:
Thanks to those who posted such great comments! When I first started reading the follow-up posts, I thought I raised a real sh*t storm again. POssibly I could have eliminated some of the tension by first announcing I am a Newbie (does that help lower the tension?). Simple question I thought. Great answers. Thank you.
I had learned about clamping the two pieces to be jointed together and running a plane down both at the same time. This way, even if not square to one another, they form complimentary angles. I guess this would be the same as the one follow-up about using a router vs. the plane.
Thanks again.
There's also the old trick of clamping the two boards to be joined with a gap between them a little smaller than the routher bit. Clamp the straight edge so the router bites into both boards. Same principle as jointing two boards with a hand plane.
Not sure how to explain this properly, but the one tip I didn't see mentioned that I do.
Mark the boards after laying out, first edge route (with the offset fence) good side up, next board edge with the good side down and so on. This method will washout any issues with the router not being perpendicular to the table.
Duane
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