Tight radius flush router tool

[Dusty.House]

Hi all,

I’m looking for a tool recommendation. I’ve installed these windows in my Expedition trucks. Once installed I need to trim the fiberglass so it’s flush with the inside.

I used a dewalt router to do the accessible parts but it’s not possible to do the corners and around the lock.

Any recommendation would be appreciated…

Cheers

Ben

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Muttley000]

A jig like this possibly?  I’m not sure how the fiberglass behaves when getting cut. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/24488391699895268/

 

[luvmytoolz]

A multi-tool (like a Fein one, etc) will make easy and quick work of that. And if you use a thin metal strip for protection on the outside of the lip you can then let the blade sit flush with that to get a really straight and crisp edge.

A little practice and you can get amazingly accurate and great results on very fiddly work with a multi-tool!

 

[Dusty.House]

A multi-tool (like a Fein one, etc) will make easy and quick work of that. And if you use a thin metal strip for protection on the outside of the lip you can then let the blade sit flush with that to get a really straight and crisp edge.

A little practice and you can get amazingly accurate and great results on very fiddly work with a multi-tool!

Oh yeah that makes sense, I have both of these in my workshop!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Crazyraceguy]

An MFK700, with the horizontal base would go right around a radius like that, but not with that much overhang. You would have to cut it closer with a multitool first, but it would be perfect.
It's not exactly the most common tool either.

 

[Packard]

I trim dowels using stainless steel shim stock and a Japanese pull saw.  The shim stock is to protect the area around the dowel from damage.  I drill a hole in the shim stock and tape it in place. I finish up using a random orbital sander and leaving the shim stock in place.

I would be inclined to do the same here, but instead of drilling a hole, I would cut it to an L-shape for the corners and use the straight edge for the remainder. 

I guess an oscillating saw would work as well. 

I don’t remember the thickness I used.  Probably around 0.020” thick.  My final sanding was with a hand block sander and no shim stock.

Japanese pull saws are very handy and they cut very fast.

Lots of places to get shim stock: https://www.google.com/search?q=stainless steel shim stock&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-1-m

NOTE: Regardless of what method you use, wear a face mask while cutting or sanding fiberglass.

 

[Dusty.House]

I trim dowels using stainless steel shim stock and a Japanese pull saw.  The shim stock is to protect the area around the dowel from damage.  I drill a hole in the shim stock and tape it in place. I finish up using a random orbital sander and leaving the shim stock in place.

I would be inclined to do the same here, but instead of drilling a hole, I would cut it to an L-shape for the corners and use the straight edge for the remainder. 

I guess an oscillating saw would work as well. 

I don’t remember the thickness I used.  Probably around 0.020” thick.  My final sanding was with a hand block sander and no shim stock.

Japanese pull saws are very handy and they cut very fast.

Lots of places to get shim stock: https://www.google.com/search?q=stainless steel shim stock&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-1-m

NOTE: Regardless of what method you use, wear a face mask while cutting or sanding fiberglass.

I think I will try this first, thanks once again.

I do love my multi tool but I want to see how well a Japanese saw will work. If it cuts well it’ll be easier to control.

I just need to get some shim stock

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[rst]

As commercial glazier, among other features things, I often use my oscillating Fein near expensive materials. I use a piece of polypropylene cut from milk bottle between blade and peace lily hat must not be damaged. Better to be we at slower speed to avoid melting but works well.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Japanese saw won last long cutting fiberglass. Carbide tipped blades are available for the oscillating tools but a regular blade is cheap enough that trashing it won’t hurt, unlike trashing the Japanese saw.

 

[woodferret]

Do you have an auxiliary base for your Dewalt that can do thick edging?  Coupled with a bottom clearing bit after you cut close with a oscillating saw.

example of base type I'm talking about

 

[tjbnwi]

Mentioned above by CRG.


Tom

 

[woodferret]

My bad for repeating then.  I got confused and thought the horizontal milling base was in ref to the 0deg base.

 

[luvmytoolz]

One thing you'll absolutely need to take into account regardless of which method you use, is you'll need to keep the fibreglass as rigid as possible to be able to stop it from vibrating which would ruin the edges and possibly cause breakage. Could be something as simple as wedging some boards a bit below the cut line to secure it.

 

[Laminator]

  +1 to what Michael Kellough said...Fiberglass is rough on even "high speed" steel.  An ossilating tool with carbide blade should work very well.

 

[Packard]

Japanese saw won last long cutting fiberglass. Carbide tipped blades are available for the oscillating tools but a regular blade is cheap enough that trashing it won’t hurt, unlike trashing the Japanese saw.

I did not think of that (actually, I did not know that fiberglass would wear tools like that.  I should have though.  Glass is a very hard material. 

Regardless of the cutting method, I would protect the surface with shim stock.  I would also probably use an oscillating utility saw.  A right angle grinder would work, but would not give a good view of the area being cut and it could easily penetrate the shim stock. 

I would probably use a fairly thick shim stock for the cutting operation and then return with a thinner one for the sanding operation. 

Offering solutions to situations where (it seems) none of us have been in before is interesting.  NASA engineers must have felt the same way a thousand times per mission. 

 

[luvmytoolz]

Cutting fibreglass can be a lot like drilling stainless steel with HSS. Using a multitool with a 45 degree angle of attack will get through it though. And as noted earlier, the blades are dirt cheap on Ebay. I used my Fein M/T in anger on our lounge reno recently, and after all the cutouts and trimming, I'm still on the first el cheapo Ebay cutter that I think was less than $1.

Colour me surprised it lasted so well! I'm starting to rethink maybe I didn't need to buy 100 spare blades after all!

 

[Crazyraceguy]

My bad for repeating then.  I got confused and thought the horizontal milling base was in ref to the 0deg base.

It was in reference to the 0 degree base, and that's how I would do it. (with the wheel/follower)
The vertical milling, as shown in the video, works great, if you are out "in the field', but not on the edge like this case.

 

[tjbnwi]

My bad for repeating then.  I got confused and thought the horizontal milling base was in ref to the 0deg base.

It was in reference to the 0 degree base, and that's how I would do it. (with the wheel/follower)
The vertical milling, as shown in the video, works great, if you are out "in the field', but not on the edge like this case.

I used to run the set up along edges all the time, primarily to flush up window jambs. Don’t use the setup anymore because remodeling is not my primary line of work now.

Tom

 

[Dusty.House]

Thanks for the tips

I tried the oscillating tool but really needed more hands to hold it with both hands, along with the shim stock.

But the Japanese saw worked a treat!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Michael Kellough]

Thanks for posting your results. I didn’t think the saw teeth would last.