Routing thick end grain at the table

[D_W]

well, I've done sapele bodies and when I do template route, I use nothing but a cheap straight cut bit. The key with them is getting most of the stuff outside of the line removed before the large bit sees the body, and then it's just a slow controlled route with the body concentrating on following the template. If the amount of wood to be removed is small, it's easy.

The other thing some folks do is do the first part of the template route with a half height bit and then come back and do the rest with another bit. I haven't ever felt any issue with safety template routing a guitar body, but they're large and you're in the same position - far from the bit and when the router wants something, you don't fight it.

I don't have a bandsaw, so "getting close to the line" for me is spokeshave or coarse drum sanding. If the wood being used is good enough that you'll get a clean cut off of a template rout. I think one of the reasons that the guitar industry likes mahogany so much is that there's almost never chipout or compressed grain or splitting or anomalies on the end grain.

 

[southendwoodworker]

If you went with slainte's suggestion, you could use a template either side ( accurately aligned ) and an f clamp across the centre to give you a handle

You have a very interesting type of glue there in the picture!

 

[baldkev]

You have a very interesting type of glue there in the picture!

Yep, you have to spareing with it, otherwise you get a red line in your work. It takes ages to dry too..... good in a tight spot though

I definitely prefer bigger bits for heavier work as they have more mass. For larger pieces i would use a router by hand ( with bearing bit ) but for a small piece like that i would have the router in a table or try slaintes idea
The big yellow bit is a cheap chinese thing. It makes a hell of a noise but works well enough. The one next to it is a standard worktop bit for scale....

 

[Titan_uk]

I'd go with a sander too. board with dowel set in from edge equal to radius of template. corresponding hole in template. put template on dowel and rotate against a sander. add extra holes for the dowel and an offset stop for a multi purpose jig.

 

[the great waldo]

Use a sander. That long cutter is going to grab that end grain and take your fingers off if your unlucky. If you must use a router then us a smaller 8-10 mm (spiral) cutter and take very light passes. You might need a couple of cans of spinach before hand to help hold the router.
Good luck.
Cheers
Andrew

 

[Val]

Since many people here have suggested to buy a compression bit to work the end grain more easily, I have found this on banggood:
https://uk.banggood.com/1-or-2-inch...130.html?akmClientCountry=GB&cur_warehouse=CN
It's 30mm in cutting length, so I should just be able to use either the bottom or top bearing and trim anything within 60mm thickness.
Does anyone have experience with this router bit? Am I going to pay custom fees since it comes from China?
I checked for a similar bit on Wealden and Titman but I haven't found anything.

 

[Bojam]

If you went with slainte's suggestion, you could use a template either side ( accurately aligned ) and an f clamp across the centre to give you a handle

Slainte means “health” in Gaelic and is used like “cheers”

 

[baldkev]

Ah, lol, i just thought he had lots of names! Richard, sgian dubh, slainte! Thanks for enlightening me

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

It's 30mm in cutting length, so I should just be able to use either the bottom or top bearing and trim anything within 60mm thickness.

I might have missed something, but if you try to use that to trim something over 30mm in thickness I don't think it'll work. Either the top or the bottom bearing will run on the workpiece.

 

[TRITON]

Info- i was like 'right, hmmm yes'.

Pic 2- I went WHOA ...BLOODY HELL ....OMG

 

[Adam W.]

It looks like a finger chopper to me.

 

[Doug71]

I might have missed something, but if you try to use that to trim something over 30mm in thickness I don't think it'll work. Either the top or the bottom bearing will run on the workpiece.

Correct

 

[Val]

Correct

I’m not so sure, as if you remove the top bearing (top while in the table) and the waste is less than the diameter of the bit, then you should be able to trim without any problems. Both top/bottom bearings are removable.

It looks like a finger chopper to me.

Why so?

 

[Spectric]

Hi Val

I recently had make an infill piece for under a shower tray in sapele with a 580 radius and 75 mm high and used a template and a Wealdon trim cutter T2080b. It comprised of two layers and when one layer was done I then used that as the template for the next.

There was a fair amount to take off and I did it in stages by just changing the top bearing, getting smaller until the last one would be to size.

These are the bearings you can use, 4mm bore.

TB748	3/4 (19mm) std
TB760	20	0.5
TB870	22	1.5
TB880	24	2.5
TB890	26	3.5
TB895	28	4.5
TB900	30	5.5

The first colomb is the bearing OD and the second is how much larger it cuts than the std 3/4 bearing. The std 3/4 bearing cuts flush to the template, the others take smaller cuts so fit a TB890 and you remove 3.5mm more than than the template size.

This way also slowly knocks down any high spots so the last few cuts will be continous and give a really clean finish.

 

[Adam W.]

I’m not so sure, as if you remove the top bearing (top while in the table) and the waste is less than the diameter of the bit, then you should be able to trim without any problems. Both top/bottom bearings are removable.


Why so?

If it takes off like you said in your first post, you run the risk of hitting the projecting cutter with your hand.

It's a small piece and small pieces and rotating power tools don't make for a happy couple.

 

[Spectric]

run the risk of hitting the projecting cutter with your hand

You should not be applying any real force, just gently moving the workpiece past the cutter but taking small cuts, do not think you can remove 3mm in a single pass especially if the amount that needs removing is not constant.

 

[D_W]

Yep, you have to spareing with it, otherwise you get a red line in your work. It takes ages to dry too..... good in a tight spot though

I definitely prefer bigger bits for heavier work as they have more mass. For larger pieces i would use a router by hand ( with bearing bit ) but for a small piece like that i would have the router in a table or try slaintes idea
The big yellow bit is a cheap chinese thing. It makes a hell of a noise but works well enough. The one next to it is a standard worktop bit for scale....

Have a couple of the same yellow bit for guitar bodies. ditto on the noise - it sounds like someone slapping paddles together in a heavy cut (just at 20000 times a minute), but guitar bodies all have to be sanded or scraped, I've never had a finish issue from it.

Vaguely recall seeing that a large spiral bit with a bearing top or bottom (2" of cut length" was about $100-$110 with tax and shipping).

 

[Adam W.]

I'd say you'd be better off carving it to shape with it fixed to the bench and using a paring chisel, with a vertical stabbing motion, and the chisel braced against your shoulder and using your upper body to provide the force to drive the chisel downwards.

 

[Adam W.]

You should not be applying any real force, just gently moving the workpiece past the cutter but taking small cuts, do not think you can remove 3mm in a single pass especially if the amount that needs removing is not constant.

It's still a sketchy operation with the cutter sticking up in the air like that.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

I’m not so sure, as if you remove the top bearing (top while in the table) and the waste is less than the diameter of the bit, then you should be able to trim without any problems. Both top/bottom bearings are removable.
Why so?

In my previous post where I suggested you might jig up and use a belt sander I was trying to gently hint that using a router, inverted or hand held, was probably not a good idea.

I'll update my recommendation to say explicitly that trying to pattern cut those tiddly little bits of wood on a router table is a technique highly likely to lead to injury. My recommendation is, don't even think about it (not even with your new and yet to be delivered router bit) and find a safer way. I've suggested one, Adam has suggested another, and there may have been one or two alternative safer suggestions made that I don't recall without scrolling back through all the answers.

So, in case you missed what I said earlier: just don't do it. Slainte.