Replies

1. 
   Cincinnati | Mar 03, 2009 04:14pm | #1

   How big is your countertop? I can't imaging trying to move a countertop over a router table. This is a job for a handheld ideally with a larger base for stability.

   Go look at countertops edges — online, in books, or even at the box sstores. Bull Nose is nice. You may want to shape a strip to be attached to the top. Then you may want to add a lip at the front so objects will not fall off as easily.

   Greg

   •••••••

   Exo 35:30-35

2. 
   oldusty | Mar 03, 2009 05:10pm | #2

   Depending on the profile you want you may be able to make several passes with different bits.

          dusty

1. 
   bmyyou | Mar 04, 2009 09:06am | #3

   Agree - I thought about this some more so please let me know if this is the correct way to achieve a profile like that shown below.  Note: The maple countertop I am profiling is 1.5 inches thick.

   1. Cut a 1/2" x 3/4" rabbet in a couple of passes

   2. Cut a 3/8 or 1/2" cove on the bottom ledge

   3. Cut a 1/2" roundover or beaded roundover on the top ledge

   Will this work?

   Thanks for the feedback,

   Brian

    

    

   
1. 
   sk2tobin | Mar 04, 2009 09:19am | #4

   bmyyou,

   It looks like that would work.  Except I would cut the bead after the rabbet so that the bearing on the bead bit can ride against a vertical surface rather than the curved surface of the cove.  Then I would cut the cove using the bottom edge of the counter top as a reference for the bearing on the cove bit.  Good luck!

   SK2

2. 
   charlesm | Mar 04, 2009 03:51pm | #5

   Brian,You may have issue getting a cove bit to cut that far away from the router due to the shaft length. Also, my personal preference is for fewer fillets if possible because they are harder to keep clean. How about using a bit made for solid surface countertop edges (they also work great on wood) like these:
   http://www.freudtools.com/p-201-solid-surface-edge-profile-bits.aspx
   Charles M

   Freud America, Inc.

1. 
   bmyyou | Mar 04, 2009 07:50pm | #7

   Charles M,

   Are these safe to use with a handheld router, and what speed is recommended?

   Also, are these single pass bits or should some stock be removed first (chamfer, rabbet, etc.)?

   Thanks

1. 
   charlesm | Mar 04, 2009 08:13pm | #8

   Brian,From the warnings that accompany our router bits:"- All bits over 1-1/2" in diameter should be used only with the router mounted in a router table.
   - Use multiple passes when removing large amounts of material."
   Charles M

   Freud America, Inc.

2. 
   bmyyou | Mar 04, 2009 09:50pm | #11

   I'm a little confused by your comment because the web page that features the Freud bits states that they are ok for use in handheld routers.  Please advise.  Also, I would like to know the recommended speed for these bits if possible.

   Thanks

   http://www.freudtools.com/p-201-solid-surface-edge-profile-bits.aspx

3. 
   Cincinnati | Mar 05, 2009 12:49am | #12

   For the larger bits, set up a fence on the handheld router to make the profile in a several passes.Greg

   <!---->•••••••

   Exo 35:30-35<!---->

4. 
   bmyyou | Mar 05, 2009 01:58am | #14

   Greg,

   Could you please explain the fence idea a little better?

   Thanks,

   Brian

    

5. 
   Cincinnati | Mar 05, 2009 06:58am | #16

   I'm going to try to elaborate. I looked for the picture that I saw, but I can't remember where I saw this jig. I checked Pat Warner's site but didn't see it.

   Assuming your bit is 3" max diameter, with a 3/4 " depth of cut perpendicular to the router axis. You would perhaps make this in three 1/4" passes.

   Position the router for the first cut. You'll notice the router is unstable because most of the base is off the countertop. So you will need a base similar to the ones Pat Warner sells .

   http://patwarner.com/router_edge_guide.html

   I saw David Marks use a similar base on which he lays a brick or two to counterbalance the weight of the router.

   Make a custom edge guide or fence that would reference the edge of the countertop and allow a 1/4"  deep pass. Re-index the guide and make subsequent passes.

   Does this make it clearer or leave more questions?Greg

   <!---->•••••••

   Exo 35:30-35<!---->

6. 
   bmyyou | Mar 05, 2009 07:52am | #17

   Thanks Greg - that helps a lot.  I have an edge guide that came with my Bosch 2.25 hp router so I will see about modifying that one to fit like Pat Warner's first.  I won't do any of this unless I think it is safe to operate so I will take my time and follow up if there are any questions.

    

7. 
   Cincinnati | Mar 05, 2009 06:33pm | #18

   My major point is to be safe. If your countertop is small enough that you can handle it on the router that is fine. I envisioned a 24-30 inch wide top by 6 feet or longer. I wouldn't want to manhandle this over a router table.Next, some of the bits you are referencing are 2-1/2 to 3 inches in diameter. There is so much power generated at the tips of these that you must take extreme measures to assure the router doesn't get away from you. At the very least you could damage your work. If I had to use a bit this size in a handheld router, I would make a custom jig to absolutely accomplish two things:1. To keep the router stable on the top surface to prevent rocking or tipping.
   2. To control the amount of bite into the material so that I could take several (maybe 4 or 5) passes with a small amount of bite per pass.The last pass may be the most dangerous in that the entire cutting edge is biting into the work. I might want the last pass to be a 1/16-1/8 pass for a finer finished milled surface.ALTERNATIVELY, if I could add another strip to the edge of the countertop, I would do that and shape it at the router table/shaper. Then mount it onto the countertop.JMHO.Greg

   <!---->•••••••

   Exo 35:30-35<!---->

8. 
   RalphBarker | Mar 05, 2009 08:41pm | #19

   One idea I didn't see mentioned is that if the countertop isn't yet mounted, you could do part of the profile from one surface, and then flip it to do the other part, using the other surface to support the router (with an auxiliary wide base).Doing a cross-section planning diagram of the edge may also help in planning the multiple cuts needed to achieve the desired end result.

9. 
   charlesm | Mar 05, 2009 01:01am | #13

   I'll look into the website info. The safety warnings from the bits are the official recommendation. Bit speed chart is here:
   http://www.freudtools.com/t-faq.aspx#R1

   Charles M

   Freud America, Inc.

3. 
   BruceS | Mar 04, 2009 05:17pm | #6

   Personal taste plus ease of cleaning, especially if the profile is on a kitchen counter, should be kept in mind.

   Try,  http://www.eagleamerica.com   .   In the search boy type in  Edge forming.    Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S. 

    

3. 
   SLOSapo | Mar 04, 2009 08:56pm | #9

   This last weekend I had to put a 3/4-inch roundover profile on a maple tabletop. Since I had my 7518 out of the router table after a recent repair, I thought, what the heck, let's give it a try. (I'd never used the 7518 freehand.) Anyway, long story short, it was a dream. No kickback on startup with the soft start feature. No bit chatter. No problem cutting the entire profile in one shot.

   Oh yeah, the bit diameter was 2-1/4 inches. Felt perfectly safe. I had the speed cranked back to 10,000 RPM.

   Edited 3/4/2009 12:57 pm ET by SLOSapo

   
   

   ---

   Edited 3/4/2009 12:58 pm ET by SLOSapo

1. 
   bmyyou | Mar 04, 2009 09:46pm | #10

   I think I quoted the wrong model number for my PC router because it is 3.25 hp but not variable speed.    My Bosch handheld is a variable speed, but I have to check the hp rating - would that work?

1. 
   SLOSapo | Mar 05, 2009 04:22am | #15

   I think any medium-duty variable speed router would work with the size of bits we're talking about here. Soft-start would be nice but not absolutely necessary. I mentioned my use of the 7518 so that you wouldn't be reluctant to use such a large machine in a handheld application. I like the idea of fashioning a base with an adjustable fence to take gradual bites, if you're more comfortable doing it that way.