As I’ve been posting about for a while, I’m starting to build kitchen cabinets. I’m still at the stage of building a small test cabinet. While making my first arched top for an upper cabinet door, I had some problems with chip out. I made a template for the radius that I needed. I then roughed out the rail on the bandsaw. While cleaning it up on the router table with a flush cut bit, I got a very rough finish as the bit climbed the arch against the grain.
To solve the problem by trimming half the arch Then, placing the template on the other side of the piece, I trimmed the other half of the arch. While this worked, I suspect that it is not the most efficient technique. Does anyone have any suggestions of a better way of doing this? I’ve attached a picture to show the problem. (Sorry about the size, I’m just learning about my digital camera!)
Tim
Replies
Check out these router bits for pattern shaping,
http://www.routerbits.com/cgi-routerbits/sr.cgi?1129898670_17439+98
the shearing action may help reduce the tearout problems.
J.P.
I'm not a big advocate of "climb cutting" in most situations but with arches, there isn't much choice. In essence, you run the router in two different directions, from the center out, or ends in, one with the rotation of the cutter, one against. Obviously, running with the rotation has to be done very carefully. I have to make some arched raised panels today and am nervous about blowing out an end with the beading bit. I'm also going to have to cut copes on a radius and need to cut a raised profile to a very sharp point. Hopefully, I won't be back to square one at the end of the day with some curved kindling.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
woodworker79,
My experience has been similar to yours. In order to produce a clean cut you'll need to go with the grain. If your arch is concave you'll need to cut toward the top, if it's convex you'll need to cut away from the top.
This typically implies reversing the template, however, there may be an alternative. Lee Valley has a template bit with bearings both above and below the cutter. Others may have something similar.
With this bit you won't have to move the template. Rather, you'll flip the panel with the template attached and adjust the height of the bit.
Good luck,
Bill
That's exactly what I was looking for. I'm uncomfortable cutting with the grain, especially when it's free hand (like you have to do with an arch top). The double bearing makes all the sense in the world!Thanks,
Tim
Good post! I never saw a bit with two bearings.. I'll look also
Edited 10/21/2005 12:28 pm by WillGeorge
If you look at the Lee Valley products...be aware that the 1/4" shank bit has a cut of depth of only 5/8", which renders it useless for materials thicker than 5/8" since you will always have one of the bearings in the way.
I have quite a few of their produts, but don't understand why they didn't come out with a 1/4" shank bit that has a depth of cut at least 3/4" to accomidate the stock that most of us will be using ??? If you have a router capable of using a 1/2" shank bit, they have one with a depth of cut = 1 1/4"......
my .02 worth......
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