Wood Snagging on Router Fence

[Bottingswood]

Woody, I’ve got my work cut out for me today (pun intended!) my wife is having a multi gym delivered and her man servant has the day off leaving me to build! I will do my best to take a pic or ten to show my dilemma.

 

[Sheptonphil]

I have never yet achieved a decent lock joint with my bits.

I do a lot of routing, and all comes out fine, never the lock joist though to the point the set of lock joint bits are all forlorn in the corner of the bits drawer.

 

[stuart little]

I have never yet achieved a decent lock joint with my bits.

I do a lot of routing, and all comes out fine, never the lock joist though to the point the set of lock joint bits are all forlorn in the corner of the bits drawer.

I have the same dilemma, I just tried a lock joint for the first time with a cutter for 3/4 stock. When I ran the first 18mm meranti board thru. the router table, after set-up, the cutter had taken off about 8mm from the board's width, delegating it to the bin. Cutters now at back of cupboard! As this was a display case for a ship model, I resorted to using M5 set screws & threaded inserts (KO style).

 

[Bottingswood]

Stuart / Phil, I feel your pain guys! I have to say there is a wee jig sold by Infinity tools for an exorbitant fee which works a treat in setting the cut up, however, my issue is the piece catching after the cut, which, when jiggled to release, ruins the vertical piece. The horizontal pieces re Dandy (on the whole).

 

[Limey Lurker]

>Thank’s for the swift reply. I’ve measured the fence and the numbers are equal.

I don't understand what you mean when you say this. What numbers? As I see it, the only thing that matters is that the two faces of the fence are co-planer, rather than parallel, when establishing a datum. Once that is established, you can move on to setting the "OUT" side parallel to the "IN" side by the depth of the cut that you intend to make.

 

[JAW911]

Good morning to all. I need some help with my router table. I’ve recently, like another million people during lockdown, gotten into woodwork and as a result bought a router table (Trend WRT). When I am pushing the wood through the bit, along the fence, the front edge of the wood catches against the edge of the left side fence, as it exits the cut, which (9 times out of 10) causes a indent / imperfection in the cut. I’ve measured the fence and both sides are equal size. I presuming (due to my relative inexperience) that it is operator error and would appreciate sage advice to resolve the issue?

I had exactly the same problem with mine and just couldn’t work it out. I rang them for some advice and they just sent me a replacement instead……it was two years out of warranty. Good service

 

[Bottingswood]

Limey, be gentle with me, being a novice I don’t have the terms and references that you advanced guys have, consciously incompetent I would say. When I referenced the number, somewhat naively, I meant both fences were the same distance from the bit (equal) and the face of the fence, was straight (both vertical and horrerzontal). Whilst your interesting talk of Datums is way over my head (he doffs his cap) I would be very grateful if you were able to lower your pitch your point accordingly. I really do appreciate the input but having to scuttle off to research all these new words / phrases / terms is giving me flashbacks!

Can you clarify Co-planer?

 

[Bottingswood]

Jaw, the whole table replaced or just the fence? I’ve been on to Trend who, with many nods a guggles in acknowledgement of my problem, we’re unable to cast any light as to how it be resolved!

 

[Tris]

From one novice to another, take the cutter out and hold a spirit level against both sides of the fence, as if you were routing it. Do both sides lie tight against the level? I have a feeling they might not be in line with each other.
HTH
Tris

 

[recipio]

Recipo, thanks for that, I’ve looked at the Jessem TA and 450 English is a hefty bit of wedge, especially when I’m fitting it (if it would marry) to a Trend table. Food for thought though, I know in life you get what you pay for so……….

Yes, getting the ideal router table setup can be expensive. You can buy a Jessem table made of phenolic resin on its own or make one with 18 mm ply and an insert. All the Jessem stuff is in short supply at the moment.

 

[Bottingswood]

Tris, As the great Prof. Henry Higgins once said ‘By George, She’s (sic) got it’, checked the face with a straight edge and look (pic below) at the light there!!?

problem now is how to remedy, easy or phone call to Trend for a properly engineered fence?

 

[Spectric]

I think this is all part of the learning curve and something we all have experienced at some point in our quest to master the router table. I find that you need to look at the cut or profile you are intending to do and make sure that when the wood exits the cutter there has been no significant change to the face in contact with either the table or fence which would leave it unsupported and liable to a bad finish or ruined. I have had jobs where I have had to stick a shim using double sided tape to the outfeed side of the fence , table or both to ensure support as the workpiece exits the cutter.

You also need to get the feel for feeding your workpiece, it is not as simple as you might first think and caused me some issues in the early days. Tris has the right idea to check alignment with an edge but even when perfect you can still have your issue, try bringing the fence forward a gnats **** and see if that helps, may help in understanding why you have the issue with this cut. Also try a different profile and see if the problem remains.

 

[Bottingswood]

Recipio, I’ve checked and it appears everything (in the whole wide world) is in short supply! I waited months for this substandard table. I think eBay may be getting a new listing.

 

[Bottingswood]

Spectric, Sage words / advice which only come from experience. I have 9929 hours left on my reaching expert view but I’m looking forward to every minute. I think from my (first world problem , perspective) side, spending all the wedge on sexy this and that expecting braw results appears to also be a tough naive! I’m just glad I’ve found this forum, it is appreciated.

 

[Spectric]

Yes it is something many have tried to do, I did in the early days until I woke up and that is you can replace skill and experience by thinking that there is a tool out there that can magically do it for you. The one thing that does help is quality tools so that you cannot blame the tool for any mishaps and there is a wealth of knowledge on these forums as many have hit problems that needed that extra kick to resolve.

 

[Bottingswood]

Spectric, my wood journey has cost me thousands already, building workshop and kitting out. My first project were the most expensive wooden signs in human history! I hope (as my good wife does) that the many projects to come will be of a quality acceptable to mortals, that way, exponentially, the price per project comes down and I can argue for more housekeeping money to buy better tools, beats working for a living!

 

[Bottingswood]

Tris, FYI, been onto the good fellows at Trend and they will be dispatching a new fence assembly (once checked) post haste! Don’t you just love a happy ending?

 

[MikeK]

Tris, As the great Prof. Henry Higgins once said ‘By George, She’s (sic) got it’, checked the face with a straight edge and look (pic below) at the light there!!?

problem now is how to remedy, easy or phone call to Trend for a properly engineered fence?

For the price of the Trend WRT router table, it is likely as properly engineered as one could expect. However, after looking at the parts diagram from the Trend site, it appears to be an easy fix to shim the back of the MDF fence to bring it perpendicular to the table top...assuming it was assembled correctly. It is also possible that the fence is faulty, so it's good that Trend will send you another fence,.

Tris was describing how to check the alignment of the two MDF fence sections along their length. If the two sections are not coplanar and aligned with each other, you could have a situation where the board you are cutting snags on the leading edge of the outfeed fence after it passes the cutter. The easiest way to check this, as Tris stated, is to lay a straightedge along the length of the fence so the infeed and outfeed sections are touching the straightedge. If there is no gap and the straightedge is in full contact (or reasonable contact) with the fence sections, then the snagging problem might be related to the the infeed fence not being perpendicular to the table and outfeed fence being perpendicular.

I have spent a lot of money traveling down the router table path of discovery before I ended up with a solution that works for me. Most of my expensive journey was before I joined informative woodworking sites, such as UKW. If I only knew then what I know now... Fortunately, my wife no longer rolls her eyes when she sees me modifying something I spent hours and lots of money building earlier.

 

[numpty1]

Good morning to all. I need some help with my router table. I’ve recently, like another million people during lockdown, gotten into woodwork and as a result bought a router table (Trend WRT). When I am pushing the wood through the bit, along the fence, the front edge of the wood catches against the edge of the left side fence, as it exits the cut, which (9 times out of 10) causes a indent / imperfection in the cut. I’ve measured the fence and both sides are equal size. I presuming (due to my relative inexperience) that it is operator error and would appreciate sage advice to resolve the issue?

I had same bough mine cheap (made in China) on net next time will check local stores to see before buying. Got overy crappy casting of table overlaying with hard resing board driling board where feather bors were fixed on and made a fence. To save pennies spent it on time( materials were free), some of us will learn the hardway, however, will on workshop refurb be fitting into bench.

 

[Bottingswood]

For the price of the Trend WRT router table, it is likely as properly engineered as one could expect. However, after looking at the parts diagram from the Trend site, it appears to be an easy fix to shim the back of the MDF fence to bring it perpendicular to the table top...assuming it was assembled correctly. It is also possible that the fence is faulty, so it's good that Trend will send you another fence,.

Tris was describing how to check the alignment of the two MDF fence sections along their length. If the two sections are not coplanar and aligned with each other, you could have a situation where the board you are cutting snags on the leading edge of the outfeed fence after it passes the cutter. The easiest way to check this, as Tris stated, is to lay a straightedge along the length of the fence so the infeed and outfeed sections are touching the straightedge. If there is no gap and the straightedge is in full contact (or reasonable contact) with the fence sections, then the snagging problem might be related to the the infeed fence not being perpendicular to the table and outfeed fence being perpendicular.

I have spent a lot of money traveling down the router table path of discovery before I ended up with a solution that works for me. Most of my expensive journey was before I joined informative woodworking sites, such as UKW. If I only knew then what I know now... Fortunately, my wife no longer rolls her eyes when she sees me modifying something I spent hours and lots of money building earlier.

Mike, It is certainly a journey, I’ve only now just figured out how to reply to individual postings on this forum, I hope the others won’t think I’m being rude.

I accept that my technical ability will develop as my knowledge base / experience grows and I am v grateful for this forum in assisting with that development. I don’t come from a technical / practical background and as such everyday is a school day where woodworking is concerned. The irony is the problem was resolved even though I misinterpreted what Tris was trying to convey, I’ll take that.

I’ve utilised you Tube and the like but sometimes the answer lays somewhere else and as I was unaware of the ‘snipping’ term could not access any guidance. That is certainly where this forum comes to the rescue in spades.

If I’m honest (which I make a point of being) I wouldn’t want to start the Heath Robinson thing with the table as the price dictates no need. I praise Trend for their CS but, having spoken with them, they acknowledge a drop in quality, surmising pandemic! I am just thankful the problem has apparently been resolved and I can get back to the cave, once the courier has done their business. I look forward to many frustrating issues being resolved by you and your compadre on here.