Replies

1. 
   uncommontree | Apr 04, 2005 05:40am | #1

   K,

   A couple questions. Shaper or router table. Tear out is random or is it on your butt cuts on your rails. Help me out with climb cutting what is this , I may call it something else. What kind of wood are you using. Rick.

1. 
   kandrewk | Apr 04, 2005 06:14am | #2

   The cuts are made on a pc 3 1/4 hp router at a lower rpm. By climb cut i mean the cutter would enter the wood from the uncut side in other words oposite the normal routing direction.They are being made from red oak. Does that make sence.

   Edited 4/3/2005 11:18 pm ET by kandrewk1

1. 
   silver77 | Apr 04, 2005 07:09am | #3

   The highest speed will give the cleanest cut.

   Your fence should have a cutout made by the cutter so there is no where for wood to tear out.

   Run the bit right into a new wood fence, mark the bearing, bore out a hole for the bearing-

   presto ...zero clearance.

   Take 2 cuts with the fence if you must but usually 1 does it...I wouldn't climb cut but I would use  feather boards to hold in and down.

   let 'er rip...no problem...steady feed ...if you still have a problem, your bits may be dull.

   silver 

2. 
   hammer1 | Apr 04, 2005 07:45am | #4

   Red oak is one of the worst due to it's splintery nature. I wouldn't climb cut a stile, It's a good way to lose control and maybe a finger tip. The first cut should be very shallow, 1/32", it's the groove that starts the splintering. Many cabinet shops use shapers or foursiders which cut much better than a router. I've never used any bit that cuts better at low speed, regardless of what the experts say. Planning ahead to get the grain going to your advantage helps greatly. With wainscoting or multiple panel doors, you have to shape both sides of stiles. One side is always against the grain. I sometimes clean up the edge with sandpaper or a block plane when necessary. Just make sure you go in one direction only with the paper. Other times, I just have to toss a bad split. Turn up the router, slow down the feed rate and take a real small bite at the start and finish. That's the best you can do.

   Beat it to fit Paint it to match

3. 
   CRAIGCONEY_M | Apr 04, 2005 08:22am | #5

   Another thing to check is to make sure the router is mounted at 90 degrees, if it is off it will affect the tearout.  Sometimes the leveling screws wear the mounting plate & throw it off from the table.

   Use the zero clearance recommended earlier

   Take 2-3 passes if necessary.

   Remove the extra stock with a TS first, this will minimize the amount of material rmoved by the bit.  I find it speed s thing sup a bit.

   
   

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   Edited 4/4/2005 1:24 am ET by craig

4. 
   mike4244 | Apr 05, 2005 03:30am | #6

   First thing, DO NOT climb cut the rails. The router and the 10000 rpm setting you use is exactly correct. What ever you are using to carry the rail past the cutters should have a backup piece.I use a plywood or mdo sled with a solid wood back up piece screwed from underneath, keep screws away from the end being cut.You will see that the splintering will be eliminated or at least much less. After a while you may have to change the backup board.Larger shops use a shaper for this operation. You would still need a backup board. If your cutters have a lot of use they may need sharpening.

   mike

5. 
   UncleDunc | Apr 05, 2005 03:59am | #7

   Climb cutting can work very well if you have a power feeder. Of course that would require a pretty stout router table. I wouldn't try it manually.

1. 
   arw01 | Apr 05, 2005 04:16pm | #8

   Besides backing wood so all the edges are supported, have you tried blue painters tape also?I have a Lee Valley drawer bit, and without using a piece of masonite to control the depth of cut, I get horrible tearout across the face of baltic birch. With the masonite as a zero clearance fence there is none.Alan

6. 
   kandrewk | Apr 06, 2005 06:34am | #9

   Thanks to everyone who took the time to help me out. I will try these sugestions. THANKS AGAIN

7. 
   sandalboy | Apr 06, 2005 06:51am | #10

   I read somewhere that you should cut the end grain on the stiles first, and then do the rest of the work. Then the tearout is removed on one of the two sides of each stile. I have only done a few raised panel cabinets, but this technique along with a sacrificial leader and pusher pieces has worked well for me. Also since my bits were new and only have worked a little they are still very sharp. This combination even worked fine in (splintery) red oak.