# router for fancy skirting boards



## chr15athome (15 Mar 2012)

Hi All,

I am new here.

I am currently looking to make custom MDF skirting boards for a small project I have coming up.
I am using 18mm MDF 2440mm x 1220mm cut into 4ft and 5ft 180mm strips.
I will have an mdf template to folllow for the shape.

I have some questions about the next steps:-

1. Once the wood is cut up I planned on rough cutting the shape out with a jigsaw about 2mm clear of the shape. But I had hoped there might be a quicker alternative that I could use some kind of rough cut router bit with my template. I did see some drill bit style rough cutters but not sure if they are available in the uk.

2. I would then just use a straight router bit to take off the excess, all the straight bits I have don't have a guide bearing at the bottom so presumably I would have the guide template at the top of the work piece and some sort of guide collet? Can i do this in 1 pass?

3. Once the work piece has a nice smooth straight edge I plan on using an Ogee Classic router bit to cove and round the edge. Which is pretty straight forward as it has a guide bearing/bush below the cutter so it would just run along the edge of the work piece.

Any help or opinions regarding this process will be greatly received.

Many thanks

Chris


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## Racers (15 Mar 2012)

Hi, Chris

Do know you can get MDF skirting board primed and ready to fit?


Pete


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## John Brown (15 Mar 2012)

I'm guessing that he's looking for something a bit fancier, since he talks of starting off with a jigsaw.


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## Racers (15 Mar 2012)

He says




chr15athome":3tr1f0h7 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> 3. Once the work piece has a nice smooth straight edge I plan on using an Ogee Classic router bit to cove and round the edge. Which is pretty straight forward as it has a guide bearing/bush below the cutter so it would just run along the edge of the work piece.
> 
> ...



So maybe not?

Pete


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## No skills (15 Mar 2012)

Been down this road a couple of years ago, I wouldnt do it again with regular mdf. Once the profile has been routed it will need work with abrasive paper to get it as smooth as the face of the mdf, if you dont do a reasonable job on the prep work the profile will look rubbish once the top coat paint goes on. On large amounts of skirting this can be both fiddly and tedious  

MRMDF maybe a better choice for this project, I havent routed it myself but I think it has a better finish after the initial machining, hopefully somebody in the know can chime in on this.

FWIW


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## Karl (15 Mar 2012)

It's a no-brainer - go and buy it from the timber yard!

You can get standard profile (ogee or torus) primed MDF skirting for £9 per 4.2 mtr length. Making it yourself doesn't make sense unless it's a custom profile.

Also a bit strange to cut it into 4/5 ft lengths - normally you want them as long as manageable to ease fitting.

Just my 2p.

Cheers

Karl


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## John Brown (16 Mar 2012)

Racers":1h2o1tgy said:


> He says
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Well, I can't guess what possible use a jigsaw would be for producing anything that resembled standard MDF skirting. I was thinking that maybe he was after some sort of scalloped or wavey top(I can't think what the proper term would be here).

I have a router, and a couple of jigsaws and a piece of MDF, so I know what I'm talking about!


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## Racers (16 Mar 2012)

A scalloped or wavy top would be fun to run a router along :shock: 

Pete


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## John Brown (16 Mar 2012)

Racers":297xcgec said:


> A scalloped or wavy top would be fun to run a router along :shock:
> 
> Pete


Indeed. I am only trying to guess here. Maybe the OP will give more details soon.


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## chr15athome (16 Mar 2012)

Hi All,

Thanks for your replies, lots of opinions...lol.

I have a client who sells these types of skirting boards to customers.
Like these:-
[edit] can't post the image due to forum rules...sorry
I need to make 10 of each design for now but I could end up doing these in large batches so want to try and make it as quick and easy as possible while ensuring good quality.

I already have the layouts for the designs and have a little time left before I need to start this project.
I haven't used routers too much other than kitchen worktop fitting so I guess I wanted to check the process I had in mind was correct.

I did see some spiral up/down cut router bits on Ebay that would remove the need for the jigsaw and speed up the process as I can just follow the template. Anyone have any experience of these and how long they last?

Also thinking of an alternative material but client wants MDF.

Thanks

Chris


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## chr15athome (16 Mar 2012)

Ok I managed to put the image as my avatar image so you can see what i mean.

Thanks

Chris


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## Karl (17 Mar 2012)

Nope - my timber yard doesn't sell anything like that :lol: 

Jigsaw and router is the way to go. 

You can post pics after 3 posts.


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## sw_edge (17 Mar 2012)

Looks like you need to find someone with a cnc! They will be able to knock out something like that in minutes and could probably manage decent lengths depending on the machine.

Alex


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## chr15athome (17 Mar 2012)

I have already looked into CNC there isn't much choice locally near Leeds unless anyone on here knows of anywhere. I would have to have hundreds made to make the price anywhere near what the client wants.


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## John Brown (17 Mar 2012)

The profile third(and fourth) in from bottom right looks to me like it would be hard to use a router on, as the valley is too sharp.
Apart from that, I think I'd be looking at some way of doing the entire job on a router table with a template, rather than starting with a jigsaw. Might need a fair few passes, though, with 18mm MDF. And you might get through some cutters.


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## chr15athome (17 Mar 2012)

I thought that too, I don't think every design will be possible but at least 2 or 3 of those seem doable. I have never used a router table before I can see how I would do the straight cuts but how would I go about the curves? I'll try and find some youtube tutorials.


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## chr15athome (17 Mar 2012)

Thanks for all your help so far, the main things I am unsure of or need assistance with are:

1. how to rough cut the initial shape quickly without a jigsaw. Is a Spiral up/down cutter the way to go? Like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-4-Shank-Fre ... 034wt_1037 

2. how to then flush finish the rough cut, I will have the option here of multiple passes but presume that just finishing the cut wouldn't be too much work.

3. Then classic ogee cutter on the edge profile. Anyone have any experience of ogee on MDF and if the finish is clean when painted?

Thanks

Chris


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## geertswaans (17 Mar 2012)

get it water jet cut out of 18mm mrmdf
cheaper then cnc
Geert


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