Greetings!
I’m in the process of making some “jigging sticks” to use for ice fishing and have a question regarding how to go about making them. A picture of a jig stick is attached for your reference.
The process I’m thinking of using to make these jig sticks is to make a template of the jig stick out of 1/2″ plywood and use a router table and flush cutting bit cut the piece out. I’ve read that I should securely mount the template to the work piece and rough out the work piece on the band saw to within an 1/8″ to 1/4″ of the line. My question is this: How do I safely route the end grain of the work piece? My experience with other situations where I had to route end grain was the router pulling the work piece out of my hands and ruining the piece by splintering the end grain.
Does anyone have any suggestions to safely use a template routing technique that will not splinter the end grain of cause an un-safe work condition? Maybe I should do the bulk of the work on the router and switch over to a small dirll press mounted drum sander for the outside curves?
Thanks!
Replies
I routinely run 3/4" stock thru my router and shaper with no problem other than a bit of tear out on an end grain cut if I don't use a backer.
With something like your jigging stick, the bearing on the flush cutting bit should provide all the support you need. When that piece got ruined, were you moving it in the correct direction? If you went the wrong way, that may have been the problem. When using a router table, the work needs to move in a counter clockwise direction so the bit tries to pull the piece into the bearing (or fence). Going backwards causes real problems.
Thanks Dave45!
I'll take a look at what I'm doing today and ensure I'm feeding the piece correctly into the bit. My thought is to make a few scrap pieces first and I'll see what happens. My concern at this point is at the very end of the piece where it comes around.
Off to the shop... I'll let you know how it works out.
Thanks,
Playing with scrap is an excellent way to practice a new technique. Changing direction can be a problem and it sometimes works better to do it in two moves instead of trying to "spin" the piece and make a continuous cut.
If you're having trouble with end-grain, slow the router down! (assuming, as mentioned above, you're moving in the right direction).
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
You might also want to try to put some handles on your template so you can hold it more securely.
http://www.superwoodworks.com
I have had the same problem when making corbels for mounting under an island overhang. The curved part that is the end grain will bite on the bit and tear out and cause massive amounts of excrement to be deposited in your pants.
I finally determined that the best way to handle that is to cut it as close to the line as you can with the bandsaw and sand the rest away. I especially like that method because I got an oscillating drill press for christmas. I chuck up a sanding spindle and let it do it's thing.
Hi,
Through my "many" practice pieces I determined that the best way to go about this was to 1) perform the routing using the many different feed directions, as Dave45 mentioned, and 2) leave the ends for the drum sander.
Thanks to everyone for your help. The project is done, and now I'm ready for ice fishing on opening day.
Happy New Year!
Just found these shear-angle flush trim bits at MLCS. They might help.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Your application is what the top and bottom flush trim bit was designed for. You can make part of the cut with the bit lowered so that the end bearing is following the template on top, then flip the piece and template and raise the bit so the "top" bearing is following the template which is now on the bottom to finish cutting. Example of this type bit are the Freud 50-501 and 50-509:
http://freud.hostforadollar.net/Website%20Hidden%20Files/new_products_from_freud.htm
Freud America, Inc.
In my view, the work is too small for the router table. I agree, the likelihood for a protoplasmic catastrophy is great; you have a time-bomb.
What to do? Spend some time fixturing the work so a hand plunger can get to it. You need support and rock-solid fixturing/clamping. Waste (bandsaw) your stock, down to a 1/16 would be great, but a plunger doesn't care, there, if you do a crummy job.
The key is wasting (plunging) in stages. You'll need a collar and sharp cutter. There is a depth of cut, whereby there will be no insult to the wood, maybe even no tearout; you've got to find out what that is. I think it is ~3/32"/pass. If you only have a few pieces to rout, fixturing will not pay for itself but you will get a good result. If you have hundreds to do , you have no choice. 3/32/pass/10seconds will get you to 1/2"+/minute;, not great but your results are likely to be.
Routers
I've learned the hard way that a starter pin is a great tool. Just screw it into the router plate in the table top. Things are a lot more secure when you reach a tricky spot.
Jerry
I have a router table, and a starter pin, but can't find any information on when and how to use it. Anyone have a pointer to a site, thread or book? Thanks!My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
Place the work against the starter pin. Then carefully pivot the work into the bit while still holding the work agaist the pin. You'll find that you have complete control.Jerry
As John said, the starter pin is used as a pivot point when you start the routing process. I feel most comfortable if I do a "dry run" with the router off to get a feel for how to approach the bit. Rest the work against the starter pin, rotate and ease into the bit, and once you get going, you can "leave" the pivot support and just rely on the template as it rides on the bearing.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
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