Suggestions for face-routing?

[JonathanJung]

Would like some ideas. I'm working for a customer in their old farmhouse and need to mill some custom trim. Here's how I'm doing, but it's a bit of a dog. It would be nice to reduce friction, keep the stock pressed into the bit, and keep 10' pieces to the table. I have clearcut guides, for both router and TS but they can't fit.

Any ideas? How you'd approach this?

[attachimg=1][attachimg=2][attachimg=3][attachimg=4][attachimg=5]

 

[tjbnwi]

I would add a 1/2-3/4 UHMW face to the fence using the slots. Make it tall enough to mount the Clearcuts.

You could also try pre-finished plywood for sub fence.

Tom

 

[AlexThePalex]

To keep the piece in place, use a solid block of wood instead of the feather board.

To reduce friction, make the cut in two passes, a shallow first one, and to full depth on the second.

To upload pictures, make them smaller than 2 mb.

 

[Sparktrician]

What about using two sections of Woodpeckers Supertrack joined side-to-side to create one really wide track bolted to the existing fence so that you could use the Clear Cut guides?

 

[ChuckM]

Definitely the multiple-passes approach as Alex suggested. Benefits: easier on the bit, cleaner profile (esp. if against the grain), and less bite to work against.

Stacked featherboards/Jessem guides, infeed and outfeed supports (or a helper on the exit end), and dust collection (a must) will be good for such operation. You won't bind the stock with the featherboards if they're properly set.

 

[JonathanJung]

I would add a 1/2-3/4 UHMW face to the fence using the slots. Make it tall enough to mount the Clearcuts.

You could also try pre-finished plywood for sub fence.

Tom

Looking at my photo, the clearcuts don't go close enough to the fence.

 

[JonathanJung]

To keep the piece in place, use a solid block of wood instead of the feather board.

To reduce friction, make the cut in two passes, a shallow first one, and to full depth on the second.

To upload pictures, make them smaller than 2 mb.

How would a wood block reduce friction over the featherboard?

I was doing 2 passes, but the problem is how much ever it takes to push the stock through.

thank you, got the images uploaded fine after that. How annoying.

 

[ChuckM]

I would add a 1/2-3/4 UHMW face to the fence using the slots. Make it tall enough to mount the Clearcuts.

You could also try pre-finished plywood for sub fence.

Tom

Looking at my photo, the clearcuts don't go close enough to the fence.

Can you install a sacrificial fence to the router fence?

 

[JonathanJung]

Definitely the multiple-passes approach as Alex suggested. Benefits: easier on the bit, cleaner profile (esp. if against the grain), and less bite to work against.

Stacked featherboards/Jessem guides, infeed and outfeed supports (or a helper on the exit end), and dust collection (a must) will be good for such operation. You won't bind the stock with the featherboards if they're properly set.

Infeed/outfeed would have been a good idea. I don't have an easy one to setup, like a line of rollers.

The issue with featherboards, I had to set them really tight, because a couple pieces of stock were bowed away from the fence.

 

[ChuckM]

Snip.
I was doing 2 passes, but the problem is how much ever it takes to push the stock through.

The stock is pretty long...can you use an assistant to help pull the stock on the exit end as you push?

 

[JonathanJung]

I would add a 1/2-3/4 UHMW face to the fence using the slots. Make it tall enough to mount the Clearcuts.

You could also try pre-finished plywood for sub fence.

Tom

Looking at my photo, the clearcuts don't go close enough to the fence.

Can you install a sacrificial fence to the router fence?

I see, that would make them work then. Don't know why I didn't think of that. I'll start with adding a fence of melamine / UHMW. Thank you!

 

[ChuckM]

Snip.

Infeed/outfeed would have been a good idea. I don't have an easy one to setup, like a line of rollers.

The issue with featherboards, I had to set them really tight, because a couple pieces of stock were bowed away from the fence.

Instead of rollers or infeed/outfeed stands, I'd work something out temporarily like the support wings for a miter saw. E.g., clamp or attach wings made out of 1 x 4 to the router table.

The bow is not unusual for such long stock. For straight pieces, work by yourself, but for those pieces with severe bow, get a helper.

 

[Michael Kellough]

“ The issue with featherboards, I had to set them really tight, because a couple pieces of stock were bowed away from the fence.”

Shorten the fence.

A router is the opposite of a jointer. No need for a long fence.

Post a short length (but tall enough to keep the stock parallel to the bit shaft) of PE (doesn’t matter which formula) on each side of the bit and the stacked feather boards such that they span the bit.

If stock is also bowed the other way (90* to the face) you may find a long table is also counterproductive. You can make a raised bed around the bit.

 

[ChuckM]

“ The issue with featherboards, I had to set them really tight, because a couple pieces of stock were bowed away from the fence.”
Snip.
Shorten the fence.

A router is the opposite of a jointer. No need for a long fence.

Good point.

Attach a shorter sacrificial fence with strong double-face tape (https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/supplies/adhesives/tape/49224-double-sided-turning-tape (Cdn price shown)).

Two birds with one stone.

 

[AlexThePalex]

How would a wood block reduce friction over the featherboard?

In your first post you complained about keeping the stock pressed into the bit, and since a solid block is not as flexible as a featherboard, I though that might help. I use it often. Point is to position the block just right so it keeps the stock in place and not add any friction.

I was doing 2 passes, but the problem is how much ever it takes to push the stock through.

Then do more passes, 3 or even 4. The rotating bit is what gives you all that friction. Maybe it is a bit blunt?

 

[JonathanJung]

Hi, it's been a while. Got busy on an install. Thought I'd update and thank everyone for being so helpful. Here's what I ended up with:

* replaced both horizontal and vertical featherboards with solid guides
* added 6mm ply mini subfence for helping with slightly bowed boards and providing zero-clearance
* discovered the POS Yonico bit was bent (thought I'd save $ for a one-off job...mistake)

Things went much better and the edge coving went easily as well. Here's some pictures as I had it setup for the edging. Face-routing was done similarily but replaced the clearcut guides with solid guides pushing down.

 

[Michael Kellough]

That’s some very good looking stock!

 

[Packard]

Sears' Craftsman used to make a shaper cutter to mount in a table saw.  You can probably find one on Craigslist somewhere.  Of course, your table saw motor is not powerful enough to make this happen in one pass.  You will have to gradually move the blade height to the full depth.

Some other company might be making these now, but I don't know of it.