Got so excited about using my new “drawer lock corner” router bit the other day, that I glued my workpiece together before rabbeting the inside of the back. This isn’t a drawer — it’s a frame, like a shadowbox frame, and the back sits inside the rabbet.
So…I whipped out the bearing-piloted rabbeting bit, set it up in the router table and ran this 32″ tall x 25″ wide frame around the bit, rabbeting the inside. Worked quite well, but was pretty scary not being able to use a bit guard. Is there some clever trick that I just didn’t think of? [Other than not using the table that is.]
forestgirl — you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can’t take the forest out of the girl 😉
Replies
Forest Girl,
If your frame was complete and the glue was dry, then routing the rabbet on the table is a perfectly acceptable technique. The key is to route in the correct direction for an inverted router (table mounted), on an inside face. Work your way through the rabbeting bit's different bearing sizes (large -> small) to avoid the bit biting in too much and launching the wood (to avoid tear out too).
Always keep your hands as far apart and away from the bit as possible! The safest way to hold the frame as you're routing is not by the sides, but with your hands on top of the frame - giving downward pressure as well as lateral control.
If the depth of the rabbet is taller (deeper) than the cutting width of the bit, start at the lowest point to the table, and progressively move the bit up after each pass. Change bearings only after each complete height is reached.
I like to have a light shining down into the frame to give the best possible visibility.
Let me know if you have any questions!
Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.
Hi Dan. I got the direction right, since I was routing just as if I had a fence (except I didn't) so figuring that out was easy. The stock is only 5/8" wide, and it's ~2.5" high so there's not a lot of stuff there to hold onto. Rabbet is 1/4"x1/4". The cut came out pretty clean, but there were some occasional weird sounds coming through my earmuffs, so I ended up moving my hands closer together and having some pressure on the piece at the area of the bit just so the contact with the bearing was consistent. That's when it really seemed a little scary.
I did realize, after my post, that I could have used one of the pivot posts to fasten a T-shape of some sort that would at least keep the workpiece from lifting up more than a little off the table if there were a kickback problem.
Have to go to work, but will ponder this one some more.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
How about making a push stick 6 to 10 inch long 2x4 and cutting a notch 2 .5 high and .75 deep rounding over the corners of the notch. that way you can hold the work down and push it up against the bit.
Great idea Fred! That would help me feel much safer.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Hi FG, Is the set up with the drawer lock bit getting any easier? You mentioned a while back ( in an e-mail) that you might have been having a bit of trouble w/ it. Brian
Hi Brian, I figured it out! The trick was "seeing" which parts of the profile have to be exactly equal (there's a tongue and groove component), and from there on out it was pretty easy. Boy, sure have to hold the stock steady though. Gotta be getting that fence pretty soon.
Now that I've conquered that one, I want to try a miter lock bit!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
"Boy, sure have to hold the stock steady though. Gotta be getting that fence pretty soon."
YIKES! No fence of any kind? How do you do it? If I'm not missing something here (probably),.... that is really dangerous..no?
I have a lock miter bit..really cool. Same sort of thing as far as set up goes. A little tweaking here and there. Or cheat with a store bought set up block.
Hi Brian, how'z thing? Working without a fence: [Edit: I have a fence, but couldn't use it for this particular operation.] You know about template routing? Same thing without the template. The workpiece rides on the bearing at the tip of the router bit, and the edge cutter (in this case a rabbeting bit) shapes the edge. It's advisable to use a pivot point to enter the cutting process, usually a post sticking up from the table (see your Veritas tape/manual -- that's what those steel posts are for!). Using the pivot post (only at the beginning of the cut) enables you to maintain control of the workpiece until it's riding firmly on the bearing.
Set-up blocks: definite time-saver. Problem with the one for the drawer lock bit is that it's made for 1/2" stock and I'm working with 5/8", so have to make my own.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Edited 5/20/2003 11:51:13 AM ET by forestgirl
Hi Jamie! Oh! of course! Silly me. In fact I was doing that very operation this afternoon, cutting rabbits for a box to fit in my router table stand for the accessories. Measured sooo carefully and spent the afternoon making a neat box only to put it in place (friction fit too! Perfect!) and discover with the box in place I can't drop my router out to change bits (my prefered method). Brother!
Oh well, maybe I'll attach it to the side or something.
Getting hot down here kiddo! U remember those Sac valley summers don'tcha?
Later! Brian
Edited 5/21/2003 1:38:10 AM ET by BrianMcG
Ooooooh, bummer, bummer! Dontcha just hate it when stuff like that happens?!
Those hot summers were what drove me away (after 20 years, no air conditioning, bod just gave up). I dunno, though, sometimes the rain up here really gets to me.
The last time I did some bearing guided routing was when making a blank for my tablesaw insert (flush-cut bit operation). Really ran into trouble working the rounded ends of the insert -- kicking the workpiece away and such, yikes! I think, though, that it was before I hooked up the variable speed in the router table. Maybe that'll keep things under control. forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
CanView Image't imagine no AC in this area...I'm a wimp, gotta have it.
I need to learn how to use the variable speed control properly. I think, and correct me if I'm wrong please, If the material tends to burn on a cut you either increase feed rate or slow the bit speed.
If the material is tearing out, you either slow feed rate or increase bit speed...Right?
I think all that rain would be kind of neat but then, I don't really know without living there do I?
Later! B
You are correct! Essentially you are reducing the number of cuts per inch to reduce burning. (Another tidbit actually gleaned from employee at Lowe's: the 3-cutter router bits need a higher feed speed than 2-cutter ones)
I often use the variable speed when trying a new router technique on test stock. Most of the time, once the process feels comfortable, I flip the switch to "full speed" for the actual cut. Not sure about the tear-out thing, but sounds good.
OK, I'll admit, after I've been down to Palm Springs visiting the sis and bro, it feels real, real good to get back up here. Even going to E. WA as I did this weekend is a major change. I used to absolutely love the heat, but guess I got "burned out" so to speak!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
"I often use the variable speed when trying a new router technique on test stock. Most of the time, once the process feels comfortable, I flip the switch to "full speed" for the actual cut. Not sure about the tear-out thing, but sounds good."
So you don't use a reduced speed for an actual cut on a real workpiece?
That's a great tip for getting used to a technique. A slower bit speed would be safer, correct?
It had to have hit the century mark today....I'm melllllllllllting!
Later, B.
Most of the time I use full speed, but there have been occasions when a lower speed was necessary. Keep in mind I've not yet used any of the big scary bits like panel raisers and such. I'm pretty sure, though, that even with a flush trim bit the slower speeds will help keep me out of trouble (e.g., when shaping tablesaw inserts).
The last year I was in Davis, we set a record for days over 95. That was when I had a stable full of horses to look after. Darn near killed me! Horses are no fun when you can only work before 8am and after 10pm! No marathons for you this week, I guess, heh?forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Brian
The slower speeds are for big 2"+ bits like panel raisers. They have to be run at slower speeds or you have a big problem. If you get a big 3 HP plus router for a table, be sure you get a variable speed. That way you can use panel-raisers if you need to. Otherwise, full speed ahead is "good to go".
Regards...
sarge..jt
Hi Sarge, Thanks, thought it was something like that.
Hey! I got my ShopFox BT morticer! So far I've only had one problem and have been meaning to get with you about it.
When I assembled it, the fence and table were not parallel to each other. It looks like the metal block that the fence post goes through was canted to one side by a degree or two. I don't see a way to correct it because it fits into holes underneath (4 holes,two for rear position and two for forward position) is this the same setup you have?
What I did was to loosen the two bolts on the base and turn the whole enchilada a couple of degrees so the fence parallels the table. I made a 3" mortice in a 2x4 and it looked ok. This still doesn't seem to be the right thing to do though. Does it really matter that the fence and table be parallel as long as the chisel and fence are parallel? And are they parallel if the block is canted a degree or two. How do I check that?
Full of questions....sorry.
I'm really hoping I don't have to take it back (2 hour drive to San Jose). Of course I will if neccesary. What do you think?
Thanks again for the bit speed advice.
Brian
Edited 5/25/2003 10:23:46 PM ET by BrianMcG
Brian
I will look at it tomorrow as it's 1:40 EST. The parallel is throwing me off at this hour. The table and fence should be square to each other. Check it with am engineers square or any square for that matter. Once they are square, the chisel has to be square to the fence. If the main body is slightly canted to achieve square, it would not matter.
I made a new table of phenolic. I added a sub-face of phenolic. If the fence is sitting other than 90* to the table, another way to correct it is too add the face fence and shim between the main fence and the sub-fence to achieve square.
The bottom line is still: the fence, table and chisel should be square to each other. If the mortiser itself is slightly off center, it should not matter.
If that is not what you were refering to, post back and we'll figure it out. I will take a close look in the morning.
Evening...
sarge..jt
Brian
I just looked at my SF and see what you refer too. I did not un-bolt the main frame from the cabinet, but I suspect that the 4 bolts holding that rod body are there as yours.
Now, get the square and see if your table is flat. Then check square where the table back meets the fence. Is that all 90*? The two bolts you loosened and rotated the main head are there to allow you to completely rotate the main frame so you can work off table with very thick or long vertical stock if needed.
As I stated in the previous post, if the main head is slightly rotated off-center; it won't matter. The slight cant is corrected when you square the chisel to the fence. If it's way off center (I doubt more than 3/16"??), I would consider returning it.
If you decide to get another one or another brand, check it out with a square before you buy as I do. All the BT's require a little tweaking as per the price, we're not talking precision hand-machining.
Questions on my comments, fire away...
sarge..jt
Thanks Sarge, Will check it out and get back to you. Brian
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