Cutting Rebates with OF 1400 & Rail
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Stephen B
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Many others on the FOG will have more experience in this, but I have done this quite a few times as I do not have a router table.
Oh and remember, you are not cooking rabbits but wish to make a rebate or rabbet. [wink]
Before you start download and read the supplementary manual and use the QF1400 guide rail attachment.
Consider making a cut along the rail with a TS55 set at the rebate depth. This is particularly significant if using hardwoods such as Australian RedGum and Mountain Ash and other wood species that are subject to tear out. Also consider multiple passes with the router, having set its depth gauge at the final rebate depth, and working down towards that depth with each pass. Each pass should be left to right (refer manuals). Naturally a sharp router bit ensures a better result and increases your safety.
Also ensure that you clamp the rail to the work, and a sturdy flat surface. This will avoid any dips in the rebate (or worse!) which would then have to be shoulder planed or further routed and so any accuracy would be lost.
[smile]
Oh and remember, you are not cooking rabbits but wish to make a rebate or rabbet. [wink]
Before you start download and read the supplementary manual and use the QF1400 guide rail attachment.
Consider making a cut along the rail with a TS55 set at the rebate depth. This is particularly significant if using hardwoods such as Australian RedGum and Mountain Ash and other wood species that are subject to tear out. Also consider multiple passes with the router, having set its depth gauge at the final rebate depth, and working down towards that depth with each pass. Each pass should be left to right (refer manuals). Naturally a sharp router bit ensures a better result and increases your safety.
Also ensure that you clamp the rail to the work, and a sturdy flat surface. This will avoid any dips in the rebate (or worse!) which would then have to be shoulder planed or further routed and so any accuracy would be lost.
[smile]
Stephen B
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Michael Garrett said:
Hi, as I was not aware of your level of experience, I was referring you to the manual in relation to multiple passes, the danger of climb out, and use of the guide rail attachment.
You may find dominos or pocket screws a quicker process for shop cabinets if using a guide rail rather than router table. Rebates are better for higher quality furniture where a butt joint can in some circumstances look "cheap"!
Back to the shop cabinets a rebate on the back edges could also be considered to recess the back panel of cabinet backing board or ply.
Hope this helps. [smile]
tjbnwi
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Domino and pocket screws are faster and just as strong if not stronger than a glue up.
Key thing is to clamp your work piece and the rail while cutting the rebates. Mark to use the center line of the bit, adjust router distance using the centerline on the base plate. Make certain the router bit has been moved far enough from the rail edge to clear the splinter guard. Leveling foot is difficult to use in this situation, you may be able to run it on a subsurface.
Tom
Key thing is to clamp your work piece and the rail while cutting the rebates. Mark to use the center line of the bit, adjust router distance using the centerline on the base plate. Make certain the router bit has been moved far enough from the rail edge to clear the splinter guard. Leveling foot is difficult to use in this situation, you may be able to run it on a subsurface.
Tom
Stephen B
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pugilato said:
That assumes the leading edge of the panel or work piece is flat. It's use in this situation can also cause problems at the start and end of each pass when compared to a rail and rail guide. That is not say that some care is also needed at the start and end with the rail, but with the rail you can at least start and turn off the router before and after passing the work piece.
sancho57
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Not sure exactly what you are trying to do.
If you want to rabbit the top and bottom of the cab sides for stronger/traditional method of cab construction a edge guide with a ply straight bit would work just fine. A rabbit it with bearing would work to.
If its for fixed shelving, guide rail with rail dogs should do it. Be sure the sides are clamped to the MFT (I dont know if you have one or not).
If its to recess the back panel a edge guide works.
Personally if its for cabinet assy, Id use dominos and screws, (not pocket screws) just screw them together, especially for painted garage cabinets . Fill the screw holes with bondo and sand smooth for the sides you can see and paint.
If you want to rabbit the top and bottom of the cab sides for stronger/traditional method of cab construction a edge guide with a ply straight bit would work just fine. A rabbit it with bearing would work to.
If its for fixed shelving, guide rail with rail dogs should do it. Be sure the sides are clamped to the MFT (I dont know if you have one or not).
If its to recess the back panel a edge guide works.
Personally if its for cabinet assy, Id use dominos and screws, (not pocket screws) just screw them together, especially for painted garage cabinets . Fill the screw holes with bondo and sand smooth for the sides you can see and paint.
AlexThePalex
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Hmmm, using a router on those nice fluffy animals, that's just plain wrong ...... [scratch chin]
Stephen B
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Alex said:
I don't know about that, not a native animal in Australia and can be a plague in numbers in some areas - could be my next Festool challenge!!!!! [big grin]
As to the original question, consider using the advice above to safely experiment and see what suits you both in technique and aesthetics.
For carcasse joints, dominoes and pocket screws will be faster and more than strong enough.
You likely will want a recess for the backs, which usually are 1/4" plywood or melamine-faced MDF. That recess can be cut quickly and accurately with a bearing-guided router bit. If the carcasse side you're rabbeting is prone to tear-out, make 2 or 3 passes with the rabbeting bit, so that the first pass is quite shallow--about 1/16". It can be a climbing cut so ensure absolutely no tear out.
You likely will want a recess for the backs, which usually are 1/4" plywood or melamine-faced MDF. That recess can be cut quickly and accurately with a bearing-guided router bit. If the carcasse side you're rabbeting is prone to tear-out, make 2 or 3 passes with the rabbeting bit, so that the first pass is quite shallow--about 1/16". It can be a climbing cut so ensure absolutely no tear out.
Michael Garrett said:
My preferred method for rabbets is a rabbet bit set that includes bearings. You can buy a bit and bearing set to give you fast and accurate rabbets using a router sized for the correct width. This is one of the essential bits everyone should own that uses a router in my opinion.
Scot
ccarrolladams
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In the old days when I owned a custom cabinet shop I always cut dadoes and rabbets using a large table saw with power feed and a quality dado cutter. The results were excellent, especially with dadoes because there was no climb cut as with a router.
Between selling my first large cabinet shop in 1996 and getting back into the cabinet business in 2006 safety laws had changed and I no longer could use dado cutters on table saws.
I had a TS55 and several guide rails. I also had an OF1010 plunge router with the sliding guide rail adapter in addition to the LR32 system. My approach was similar to the suggestion by StephenB. I made the inside cut on rabbets with my TS55 to ensure there would be no tear-out. Then I cut the rest with a larger than needed bit using the OF1010 on a guide rail, which did not need to be precisely set, because it was the saw cut that was important. For dadoes, I made cuts with the TS55 on both sides. Then I would finish the dado using the OF1010 on a guide rail and an under-sized bit, making a second pass if needed. I always made the right-side saw cut first and used a spacer jig I made to move the rail to the left the exact amount. It might sound like a bunch of trouble but I make custom cabinets and the time necessary to make quality joints is calculated into the quotation.
Between 1996 and opening my new large shop in 2010 I often rented space in the shop of a pal who owned a radial arm router, where the router comes down from the arm. Rabbets were simple, so long as the direction of the grain was respected. Clean dadoes were made using an under-sized bit, small enough that when the router was moved appropriately for a clean cut on one side the tear-out on the climb-side did not reach the good side. The work would be slid over and the final pass was made in the opposite direction. I must say this method is faster than making two saw cuts before using the router. However, not all that many people have radial arm routers.
Personally I have not used rabbet bits with a guide bearing in decades since the actual thickness of even cabinet-grade plywood varies from brand to brand. I also have never liked using a conventional edge guide because at the end of the cut the bit can slide into the work, which is not the case using a guide rail.
Between selling my first large cabinet shop in 1996 and getting back into the cabinet business in 2006 safety laws had changed and I no longer could use dado cutters on table saws.
I had a TS55 and several guide rails. I also had an OF1010 plunge router with the sliding guide rail adapter in addition to the LR32 system. My approach was similar to the suggestion by StephenB. I made the inside cut on rabbets with my TS55 to ensure there would be no tear-out. Then I cut the rest with a larger than needed bit using the OF1010 on a guide rail, which did not need to be precisely set, because it was the saw cut that was important. For dadoes, I made cuts with the TS55 on both sides. Then I would finish the dado using the OF1010 on a guide rail and an under-sized bit, making a second pass if needed. I always made the right-side saw cut first and used a spacer jig I made to move the rail to the left the exact amount. It might sound like a bunch of trouble but I make custom cabinets and the time necessary to make quality joints is calculated into the quotation.
Between 1996 and opening my new large shop in 2010 I often rented space in the shop of a pal who owned a radial arm router, where the router comes down from the arm. Rabbets were simple, so long as the direction of the grain was respected. Clean dadoes were made using an under-sized bit, small enough that when the router was moved appropriately for a clean cut on one side the tear-out on the climb-side did not reach the good side. The work would be slid over and the final pass was made in the opposite direction. I must say this method is faster than making two saw cuts before using the router. However, not all that many people have radial arm routers.
Personally I have not used rabbet bits with a guide bearing in decades since the actual thickness of even cabinet-grade plywood varies from brand to brand. I also have never liked using a conventional edge guide because at the end of the cut the bit can slide into the work, which is not the case using a guide rail.
