New OF1010 but need some basic advice on using...

[joesan]

I just bought a lovely new OF1010 but haven't previously done much routing other than rounding over edges etc.

Can someone tell me, or point to a good Festool specific basic guide, how I go about routing the correct size hole into a piece of MDF i.e how do I use the item itself to template the hole into the wood?

For example here is a little piece of plastic (an iphone dock) that I want to inset flush into some 30mm MDF. How do I go about copying this shape into the wood. The size is roughly 80mm l x 60mm w x 16mm d.

[attachthumb=#]

 

[Wood_Junkie]

Make a simple rectangular box "frame" around your object.  Secure the "frame" around it however you like... glue, pocket screws, gravitational attractive force (this is unreliable, FYI).  Once set, use the "frame" as a template to do your routing.  Use a template bit with the same radius as the corner of the object.

For example, it looks like that dock has a 3/4" radius corner.  So use a 3/4" radius template bit.  
FYI, for this type of operation, the bearing has to be on the *router* side of the bit, not the end.

Addendum:  You could also spring for the MFS400.    [wink]

 

[joesan]

Thanks Woodjunkie - impressively quick reply. Now that you explain it seems very simple!

Will I really need to buy a different radius bit for every different job or are there any tricks around that aspect?

 

[Wood_Junkie]

The only "trick" is to use a large radius bit, to clear out most of the waste and leave the corner with some extra.  Then somehow 'sneak' into the corner radius through some manual means.  Either spindle sanding (this is probably the safest most reliable method) or hand-routing with a smaller bit freehand.

 

[mouppe]

Just a small point but whereas on the exterior of a piece you move the router anti-clockwise, if you are routing the inside you move the router clockwise.

Richard.

 

[score0matic]

or you could check the radius of the I Dock and use a matching bit (if it is a simple match)

 

[joesan]

Great stuff guys. Thanks for the advice.

Can I ask a couple of more questions?

1. When I look for a template router bit (with a bearing at the top) most of them seem to say that they are not for plunge cutting. What bit should I get if want to plunge into the material and then follow the template?

2. When I want to make a bigger item flush, e.g. a 10mm plate glass induction hob into a worktop, do I cut a slightly smaller hole out of the worktop with my TS55 and then follow a template in the same manner?

 

[James Watriss]

Many of them do say that. When you're dealing with small pockets like the one you propose, I tend to just plunge and move... straight plunges bog down. But if you keep the router moving, the bit will sink in much more easily. My suggestion is to start this in the middle of the pocket you're routing out, and work your way outwards. If you start at the edges, the bit will be working in a trench, and it's possible to get a bit of a wiggle if the bit is bouncing between the walls of the trench.

Alternately, you can jigsaw or drill out the waste, and then clean up the edges with the template.

 

[peter halle]

You could also use a drill bit to drill a starting hole, plunge into the hole and go.

Peter

 

[daviszr1]

Just a small point but whereas on the exterior of a piece you move the router anti-clockwise, if you are routing the inside you move the router clockwise.

Richard.

You MUST understand this to do things safely time after time!  Routing CCW on the inside makes for a climb cut.  That's the dangerous part as you loose the ability to have 100% control of the router.

 

[jvsteenb]

That is absolutely right. However, when you're using for instance a bearing-guided roundover bit or chamfer bit you may want to sneek up on the final cut and perform the last 1/128 in a climbcut fashion. The bit will take too shallow a cut to get out of control and if that's the case, the finish is actually better in solid wood. You'll need a clean and sharp bit and a steady hand but if all requirements are met, the quality of the cut will be superior to a regular cut. This is especially usefull when doing oil finishes, since the cut will be finish-ready with less chance of burning or burnishing as an additional benefit, so no additional preparation is needed.

But: USE WITH CAUTION !!! Try on some scrap untill you're totally at ease with this way of making very shallow cuts.

Regards,

Job