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Router question

2K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  jigs-n-fixtures 
#1 ·
I am making some door casing in a victorian style and I am cutting multiple grooves in the face of a 4" wide piece of cherry. I am using a v groove bit on a router table. The problem I am running into on a few pieces is getting the wood to lay perfectly flat on the table and get a uniform depth groove along the whole length of the board. The problem is a few boards are not perfectly straight and it is hard to push them down against the table and I get a shallower groove than other spots of the board. I have pushed down as hard as I can as it passes over the bit but it still is not cutting a uniform depth.
Does anybody have a tip? I don't have a power plane plus I don't want to make the boards any thinner, they are all finished to 3/4" and I want to keep them like that.
 
#2 ·
Not many options. Consider
a) Using router hand held with a fence mounted on the router.
b) If above does not work, try clamping the boards to a thicker but flat board and then hand routing.
c) Hand filing for consistency. Look for carver's type files. Will find one with a V shape and curved so you can get in the groove. A lot of elbow grease.
 
#3 ·
Thanks, I thought about using the router hand held with a guide but a lot of work. I will probably file or sand the shallow spots to get them deeper. It is not a problem on most of the boards so I wouldn't have to do many that way. I am also going to buy a padded push pad to help me apply more pressure on the board as it passes through the bad spots.
 
#4 ·
Are these stopped grooves?
If not, use a feather board over the bit to hold the stock down.

If so, attach the featherboard an inch or so to the outfeed side(however far in you want to start the groove). Tuck the end of the stock under the lead edge of the stock and plunge it down. Then you can feed the stock until you get to the stopping point. Downside is you will need to power the router down and wait for it to spin down before removing the stock. :smile:

Personally, I would do those handheld.
 
#5 ·
No not stopped grooves, my router table does have featherboards (plastic OE) I generally don't use them because they seem to be a hassle. I don't think they will help much because they are only about 3/4" wide and only hold the 4" board on the very edge. I will try them and see if it helps. Thanks for the help.
 
#6 ·
Hi Marty, I use them all the time on the router table--- keeps my pinkies seperated from the high speed carbide... Also, on a job like this, they keep the stock from riding up off the bit. 3/4" is about 25% of the board width so it will be plenty. I have a set of these:
Amazon.com: Milescraft 1407 D/TFeatherBoard Dual or Tandem FeatherBoards for Router Tables and Table or Band Saws: Home Improvement

I can seperate them into two seperate feather boards or use them as one big wide one. Really helps when I need to run something on edge.

A push block/pad would also work in your case:
Amazon.com: Bench Dog Tools 10-033 Push-Bloc Push Pad: Home Improvement
:smile:
 
#8 ·
Martyanderson said:
I am making some door casing in a victorian style and I am cutting multiple grooves in the face of a 4" wide piece of cherry. I am using a v groove bit on a router table. The problem I am running into on a few pieces is getting the wood to lay perfectly flat on the table and get a uniform depth groove along the whole length of the board. The problem is a few boards are not perfectly straight and it is hard to push them down against the table and I get a shallower groove than other spots of the board. I have pushed down as hard as I can as it passes over the bit but it still is not cutting a uniform depth.
Does anybody have a tip? I don't have a power plane plus I don't want to make the boards any thinner, they are all finished to 3/4" and I want to keep them like that.
Get a big scrub brush and mount it to a board ling enough to span your router table, with the brush over the bit. Then use clamps and spacer blocks to mount the brush so the tips of the bristles are about half an inch below where the top of your work piece will be.

You have now made a feather board of sorts, that will force the workpiece down against the table, while keeping your hands safe.

Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum
 
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