* router technique help from intermediate or expert craftsman
Gentlemen (or ladies).
I am cutting out a handle for a slide out shelf I am placing in a Cherry cabinet. I have real bad past experience with trying to cut out similar shapes in wood with my router and router table. The last time that I tried, the workpiece flew across my shop…. I have been gun shy since. I get it that a start pin and a flush trim router bit are the way to go (seen folks do it for guitar bodies), but I don’t have a template cut out for the workpiece….. cutting the template would lead to me ask the same question (how do I cut the template? Catch 22….) Enclosed is a rough sketch of what I am trying to do….. the piece is about 18″x2″ and is 3/4″ thick. I know it is a basic technique, but one that I never learned. Any help is appreciated.
Similarly, I am looking to cut neat strips out of the back of the cabinet in 1/4″ plywood. I tried to smooth out the edges on the router table in my last project, and the router grabbed the workpiece at the corner and flinged it around wildly, loosening my mount screws and leading me to tapping new holes in my mounts….. don’t want to do that again.
Would appreciate any help with my flawed techniques…..
Replies
Template making
Use 3/8 of 1/2" MDF and cut it out with a band or scroll saw and smooth it up with a spindle sander and holod it down with plenty of doublesided tape.
Your kick-out problem may be climb cutting.
Thanks, Bruce.....
I got it done.... I applied physics and lessons learned from the past..... I used the bandsaw for the rough cut and then set the fence up to take out the rough cut.... For the edges, I carefully fed the piece from the front (against the blade spin) with the fence on one side acting as my guide..... it came out perfect! Will snap some pics...... can't say I wasn't nervous, but I stayed careful.... all digits are still there!
Appreciate the help.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled