Cutting 2 1/4" teak anchor platform- Festool Jigsaw or Router?

[eagle32]

I know there are lots of experienced woodworking pros out there so I thought I would ask a question on which tool I should use for a project I'm working on. I'm making a teak anchor platform that is composed of 2 1/4" thick teak strips glued together with epoxy. This looks like a wood cutting board essentially. I have a pattern made from door skin for the back of the existing teak anchor platform and this piece will fit around the existing teak platform and will extend backwards an additional 17". I used the doorskin template of the back of the existing teak platform to mark the cutout to fit up tightly to the existing teak platform so now I'm up to cutting this new platform to fit. It's a U shaped cut with two arms on either side of the existing platform so the new one will make the existing one about three inches wider on the sides and again about 17" longer at the back. My problem -- is how to cut this 2 1/4" thick "cutting board" so that the cut is square down it's face. I have considered using a pattern router bit that has a 2" cutting blade but is 4" long in total so it should be possible to move the bit down in the chuck enough to cut the 2 1/4" needed to make the cut. But I have read conflicting opinions of using a large router bit like this in a handheld router and this block of teak is too heavy to maneuver on a router table. I would make an opposite template from the existing one that I have to allow the router to ride around the curves to make the cut.

Then my friend says to use his Festool Trion jigsaw but I worry that the blade will deflect during the cut given the thickness of the material. I guess I could cut it back from the line and then use a sander - even God forbid - hand sander to clean up to the line.

My friend swears his trion can make this cut without the blade deflecting -- and make it cleanly-- he's dying to let me do the cut with his festool router.

Maybe the new Carvex would be the ideal ticket as they claim it has less deflection in the blade than even the Trion --

I like the router but I worry that it would be hard if not dangerous to use a 1 1/4" diameter router bit of 2" blade length in a handheld router-- even a Festool router.

My problem is I'm always doing one off projects -- unlike pros that often do the same delicate work over and over and get the right tools and the experience not to mess up expensive countertops and doors etc. -- but I get one time to learn the best way for each task. THis teak anchor platform is made from old teak boards - 20 years old-- and were 2 1/2" thick which is almost impossible to find anymore. It took a lot of time to make up this glued together piece and I would hate to mess it up cutting the profile to fit it to the back of the existing platform.

This is a question of not only the right tool selection, but technique and whether the tools available would work to make a square and flat cut in thick material like this 2 1/4" teak anchor platform.

I added a photo of the back of the anchor platform with the stainless steel bottom plate I installed for strength- the extension will sit on top of this and completely surround this existing one to the teak side rails. You can see the shape of the rear of this existing platform. The second photo shows the extension with the two arms that will surround this original platform. I have scribed the exact shape of the back of the existing platform on the extension but it requires an inside cut to make it fit cleanly. I probably should have cut each individual stringer to fit before gluing it up -- but if I ever do this type of project again I will do that-- which is the problem with these one time projects-- there is no learning curve unfortunately.

Jigsaw or router? Thought about using my bandsaw but this teak piece is very heavy and unwieldly and it would be hard to push accurately and flat to get a 90 degree cut to the top and bottom.

I only get one chance!

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Would this help you?

http://www.portercable.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=11068

 

[Holzhacker]

I've never been a fan of using a router for cutting. Especially on odd stuff control can be difficult. Thick stuff it will probably smoke no matter how good the bit. I would use the Trion. Adjust the blade grip, speed and feed rate properly and you should be fine.

 

[Dongar]

I would cut to 1/16" of the line with the trion then use the router and template to clean up the cut.
Donald

 

[tiralie]

I would cut to 1/16" of the line with the trion then use the router and template to clean up the cut.
Donald

Agreed. I think Donald's method is the best way to make this cut, and to get a surfaces at right angles to each other. Unless you are going to use a sander like the one Ken has linked to you will be disappointed with the results as the edges will get rounded over.
Under the circumstances (only one try) I would probably build a prototype out of Spruce 2x4's and go through the process (Trion, and router with top or bottom bearing bit and template) before you cut the actual teak. This will give you more confidence when you go to actually route the Teak and you will get a better feel as to how to hold and move the router to give the best results.
Good luck!
Tim

 

[eagle32]

I like the idea of first cutting with the jigsaw and then use a router to get to the line with a pattern bit. I csnt seem to find a router bit that is 2 1/4" long in any of the router catalogs-any suggestions for a router long enough to do the 2 1/4" face all at once? also what festool jigsaw blade moght be best for cutting this thick piece of teak without any tearing? There are lots of blades and its confusing from the short descriptions and pictures. I would think a blade with axlot of smaller teeth would be best. Teak is relatively soft compared to some woods like oak.

 

[eagle32]

Took a look at the porter cable spindle sander and i think that is a great solution. I have to clean up the old platform to match my template for the extension which is fixed on the boat and also remove about a 1/4" on the inside of the extension when its on the work bench. since time isnt an issue i think this portable spindle sander with 50 or 80 grit will remoce the material on both without too much effort and it shoyld be easy to switch to 120 grit once i get close to the scribed line i think i will take the advice and use the trion to take off a lot of the excess material first also. But this sander will keep the side as it is sanded square to the top and bottom at the same time without the danger to myself or the work piece of using a handheld router with a long bit.

I found tgis sander on amazon.com for $268 with free shipping and 2" sanding tubes on ebay fairly cheap. This is a tool that Festool needs to make a version of that would do the same thing but the Festool way!

Thanks for the help! Combining the answers I think gave me a reasonable plan.

 

[danjames]

Eagle 32,

You could use the jigsaw and router method for a piece that thick if you have two router bits, one with a copy bearing on top which you start with, following the pattern going down just over half way, then flip the piece over and use a copy bit with the bearing on the bottom and you shall be good to go. For teak this thick use a big router with lots of power, it will make it easier. Also if you have radiused corners cut these out with a hole saw not the jigsaw as you will get some drift in this thickness of teak using a jig saw.

I have used this method on many thick peices of teak for boats and it gives good results.

Dan  [smile].

 

[eagle32]

How about make tge porter cable spindle sander act like a pattern router! Get a small piece of steel tuhe that has a 2" ID - cut off tge thickness of the pattern template - make the template out of say 1/2" starboard for example. Slip this 1/2" tall tube over the rubber spundle up to the bottom plate and then the 4 1/2" long 50 or 80 grit paper sanding sleeve onto the spindle behibd this metal sleeve and you have a pattern following portable spibdle sander.  This avoids having to worry about rrpositioning the template on the bottom perfectly with the the top cut  using the router since tge spindle sander has a 4.5" length this sand a perfect match to the template without the router which could make mess if the template slips and is more dangerous to use with a large bit.

Lower grit faster cut and this will work to true up the contours of old teak deck using the original template that created the cut libe marking on the new piece and to make the negative template to use with my new invention- the pattern spindle sander! I ordered one of the Porter spindle sanders - which is wrong i suppose given this is the FO group but festool doesnt offer a comparable tool- listening festool!

This should do a clean cut off the patterns so the old thick teak matches up to the new teak extension perfectly.

Thanks for helping with the problem.

 

[tiralie]

How about make tge porter cable spindle sander act like a pattern router! Get a small piece of steel tuhe that has a 2" ID - cut off tge thickness of the pattern template - make the template out of say 1/2" starboard for example. Slip this 1/2" tall tube over the rubber spundle up to the bottom plate and then the 4 1/2" long 50 or 80 grit paper sanding sleeve onto the spindle behibd this metal sleeve and you have a pattern following portable spibdle sander. 

Very creative solution! Let us know how this works out. I personally hate using a sander to clean up >2" thick of an type of wood. Teak dust is not good for your lungs so wear a mask when you are doing it.

This avoids having to worry about rrpositioning the template on the bottom perfectly with the the top cut  using the router since tge spindle sander has a 4.5" length this sand a perfect match to the template without the router

You shouldn't have to reposition the template. If you are using a top bearing bit, make your first pass lets say at 1 3/4" and then remove the template and drop the bit down lower in the chuck and use the just routed edge (teak) as a template for the rest of the cut. On a 4" long bit you should still have a good 1/2" or so of the shank in the chuck. If you don't have enough shank to do this, then I would use the sander to clean up the remaining bit.

which could make mess if the template slips and is more dangerous to use with a large bit.

Good clamps and/or double sided tape will hold it.

Tim