Hello All,
I did some of my first dado's with d-handle router. Most of them came out wiggly.
Any tips to avoid this?
It seems like during the routing process, it's not entirely smooth sailing.
I was routing 3/4" oak ply, across the grain. The fence was smooth aluminum, so no problems there. Fence was on the right, if that matters.
-KJ
What does "wiggly" mean. Not straight? Did you rotate the router at all? Sometimes the base is not well centered and rotating it as you go along will give an irregular cut. Other than that, I can only suggest you practice. I have only screwed up one dado, and that was because I was clumsy and needed to practice. (I did learn something from that, always have your fence on the side that is more visible. Even if you screw up, you can just recut it if the otherside is somewhat hidden.)
Fence on the right was probably your problem - try it on the left. Or, cut from the far end. You want the fence set so that the reaction to the cutting action is to push the router against the fence.
John Martin
Routers, on their own "want" to go left, sooooo .. .. I always try to run the router along the guide in a way that makes it pull itself into alignment. It sounds like you did it the other way around.
| I did some of my first dado's with d-handle router. Most of them | came out wiggly. | | Any tips to avoid this? | | It seems like during the routing process, it's not entirely smooth | sailing. | | I was routing 3/4" oak ply, across the grain. The fence was smooth | aluminum, so no problems there. Fence was on the right, if that | matters.
KJ...
Fence on the right is good if you were pulling the router toward you. Put it on the left if you're moving the router away from you. This strategy is what's generally called "conventional" cutting. The opposite strategy is called "climb" cutting. In some materials climb cutting can provide smoother cuts - but at the cost of increased difficulty in controlling the router. I'd suggest sticking with conventional cutting while you build experience with the tool.
Looking down from the top, the router bit is turning clockwise. This is something that you'll benefit by remembering. Also note that the force exerted by the router will increase as the bit becomes duller - and (sadly) the newness of a bit isn't necessarily an indication of sharpness. I've observed that different cutter manufacturers have widely varying notions of "sharp".
-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA
Got it. Next time I'll put the fence on the left. (I did have it tight against the fence though.) Sounds like I was unwittingly doing a climb cut then.
Is it wierd that the router came with the front grip mounted on the left (which puts it up against the fence in a left-fence set-up)? I'll just unscrew it and put it on the right side.
Don't "climb cut" again before learning how.
It takes practice to be able to keep a loose(r) grip on the router and a firm pressure on the piece you're cutting.
It does. Get to the library or book store and pick up a copy of Pat Warner's "Router Book". Learn about the tool first, then use it.
Routers can be fun if you like SCREAMING, WILD, DUST SPEWING tools. ;)
========================================================== CAUTION: Do NOT look directly into laser with remaining eyeball! ==========================================================
You can have the fence on the right if that's where it feels comfortable, just reverse the feed direction you used. Feed from the top or left side of the fence and pull towards you. The rotation of the router bit will make it want to pull away from you. Pulling towards you while the router is trying to pull away from you is what will give you control.
The reverse is true if the fence is on left. The router will push towards you while you're pushing away. The equalizing of the two opposite actions is what gives you control.
Likely using one hand? You're not holding it tight to the fence.
Larry Jaques wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
And router planes are somewhat prone to tearout on oak plywood. ;-)
If you have a quiet, dust free suggestion for dados in plywood, I'd love to hear about it. The closet rebuild for LOML is underway, and my shop is buried in plywood at the moment.
A cross dado, even with a sled, on a 94" slab of 3/4" prefinished ply, isn't going to happen on my tablesaw.
Patriarch, spending a lot of time with foam earplugs installed these days...
You're right about climb cutting sometimes giving smoother cuts, but in this case that is not really applicable, because the entire bit is buried and is cutting on both sides.
What is happening is that the bit is forcing the router away from the fence, and that is giving him a "wobbly" dado.
John Martin
Router planes are like women. You have to learn how to score before you're successful with 'em.
Set up the guides on both sides, saw the edges, and route away! I didn't say he -couldn't- use a screamer, though.
Yeah, wouldn't THAT be fun?
I prefer muffs in the shop since I sleep with foam earplugs in.
========================================================== CAUTION: Do NOT look directly into laser with remaining eyeball! ==========================================================
The main thing to remember is to move the router in a direction such that the rotation of the bit will tend to force thr router against the fence. In your example, with the fence on the right, I assume it is oriented like a tablesaw fence, you would want to start at the far end of the cut and move the router towards you. Looking down at the top of the router, the bit is spinning clockwise like a drill bit, so as the leading edge contacts the wood, imagine it as a turning wheel that wants to roll along the surface it is cutting. Cutting edge towrads you, bit turning clockwise, it will want to "roll" towards the right.
Thanks to everyone who replied. I think I am on the right "track" now.
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