I’m hoping that some of you who have more experience than me, can offer some suggestions.
I need to route a profile along the top edge of some boards — they will be used as baseboard. The particular profile needs to closely match the profile of all of the other baseboard in the house — but it can’t be cut as deeply. The depth must be limited, because I also need to cut a rabbet along the back edge of the top, so that wainscot paneling can be fit behind the baseboard.
The existing basebboard is simply a 4 1/2 inch board, with the profile routed at the top edge. The profile is an ogee, about 5/8 inch tall, and about 5/8 deep. (Leaving only 1/8 inch of wood as the top edge.)
I am hoping that I can use either the same router bit, or a similar-profile bit, so that I can achieve the same “look and feel”, without cuting as deeply. To acomplish this, I am thinking that I can run the boards past the router (or vice versa) at an angle — so that all of the shadow lines are there, but the top edge is not cut so deeply. By angling the stock, the deepest part of the bit’s wings won’t cut as deeply into it.
Assuming that I can remove the bearing at the bottom of the bit, then this works — at least from a purely mechanical perspective.
Does anyone have other perspectives — safety, necessary jigs, possible pitfalls, horror stories?
Thanks in advance — this forum has been, and continues to be, the best for learning more about woodworking.
Replies
Angling the piece is do-able but the profile may not look correct. Particularly any fillets that end up angled. Have you looked at a lot of profiles to try to match the original? If you can make a tracing, scan it into your 'puter and email it to me I'll attempt to find an appropriate bit (or combination of bits) to accomplish your goal.
Charles M
Freud, Inc.
I've looked at lots of available bits, and none are a dead match for what I need. (Woodcraft, Routerbitsonline, Eagle America, others)
The baseboard that I'm trying to match is very standard in today's housing market. It is about 4 1/2 inches tall, and about 3/4 thick. Along the top edge, there is a classic ogee. The ogee is approximately 5/8 deep (in each direction). As a result of the ogee, the top adge of the baseboard is about 1/8 thick.
So, what I need to do is route something that looks (at a glance) like a 5/8 ogee, but which leaves about 3/8 of the top of the board untouched. This untouched back edge will then be routed to accept the beadboard.
It is quite important (to the woman of the house) that the "look and feel" be the same or very similar. And, since all of the door moldings are of the same thickness as the baseboard, I can't add any thickness to the baseboards.
If you think that there is a bit available that routes a 5/8 tall ogee, which is only 3/8 deep, then I'd love to hear about it. I'm not adverse to spending the money, and I'd appreciate the help.
But if one is not available, then I will probably have to use a standard ogee bit, and set up a jig which presents the wood at an angle.
http://www.freud-tools.com/routerbits.html
try looking in that web site. Next try some of the other router bits mfg. they may have some thing you are looking for.
I'm using a separate post so that I can at least attempt to attach a drawing of what I want to do. This method of angled presentation will, hopefully, achieve the "look and feel" that the lady wants. Thanks again for any help, Dave Thompson
Is this what the original looks like?
Charles M
Freud, Inc.
Yes, the original looks like that.
I have a couple of possibilities for you. First you need to check the actual thickness of the base moulding. If it is 3/4" your easiest solution is to buy some 9/16" thick base moulding with the same profile at the home center store, run the beaded paneling all the way to the floor and place the new moulding over it. If the current moulding is less than 3/4" thick let me know the maximum thickness the moulding can be and I'll see if a bit that I have in mind will work.
Charles M
Freud, Inc.
The existing molding is 5/8 thick.
There will be no problems matching the new base molding to the old, since the entire room is getting the wainscot -- all of the existing baseboard is to be scrapped. But the new base should not protrude beyond the door casings, which are 11/16 thick.
And for what it's worth, the beadboard selected by the owner is 3/16 thick.
Thanks again for all the help.
Dave Thompson
Dave,
The first attachment shows base moulding from 11/16" stock with profile from Freud 99-450 and 3/16 rabbet comparing to original moulding. Second attachment shows the basic setup of the bit to produce the cut. You'll have to use the fence to limit the cut to the desired depth. I think this is as close as you can get.
Charles M
Freud, Inc.
Excellent -- thank you ever so much for the help. I would have never thought of using a panel raising bit for this purpose. The result will be perfect, and I'm sure that the woman of the house will be quite happy.
Thank you,
Dave Thompson
Just a thought. If you profile your new base like your picture and you have to tie into the existing base anywhere, the profiles will never match. FWIW
Scott
As I see it there are two things you can do.
One. you could cut 1/4 ply wood into strips and put it behind your base leaving it 1/2 to 1" shorter then the base that would give you the space you need behind the base to fit your paneling. <but you will have some trouble at the end where you miter the joints.>
Second. if you have a table for your router set the fence adjust the fence closer to your work and lower but you will loose some of detail. (with a fence you don’t need the bearing) (removing the bearing will deepen the cut.)
By the way there are Two (2) different ogee bit diameter 1 1x16 and 1 3/8.
Edited 11/26/2002 12:30:29 PM ET by fredsmart
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