Replies

1. 
   Quickstep | Feb 18, 2010 02:00pm | #1

   I've only had to do this once, but it worked out OK for me.  

   I clamped the stock onto the drill press table and cut the rosette pattern. Then without moving the table or the rosette, I replaced the rosette cutter with a hole saw absent the bit. I then cut the rosette from the stock, then removed the holesaw from the drill press and tapped the rosette out of the hole saw. A new hole saw leaves the edge a bit rough, but not too bad.

1. 
   wmmorrow | Feb 20, 2010 01:40pm | #4

   I ordered the cxorrect size hole saw to try this...,will let you know how I make out!

   Than ks Bill

2. 
   wotnow | Feb 18, 2010 07:14pm | #2

   Bill

   If you dont need the full depth below the rosette, run the blank through a ripsaw set to rip at the bottom of the rosette. If you do a whole row of rosettes along the blank they should just drop out as they pass the blade. (Hope I explained this OK)

   wot

1. 
   wmmorrow | Feb 20, 2010 01:43pm | #5

   The cutter does not cut deep enough to do this.

   Have previously tried to use a band saw to seperate the design from the stock, but due to how the bit is machined you lose the lower parts of the rosette.

   Thanks,

   Bill

1. 
   RalphBarker | Feb 20, 2010 03:20pm | #6

   How about making a template to use with a plunge router and guide bushing to cut a 1/4" or so circle around the rosette and deep enough to allow cutting it free with the band saw?

3. 
   joinerswork | Feb 19, 2010 08:22am | #3

   wm,

   You might try screwing the rosette stock to a backing board ( screws at the centers of the rosettes, obviously).  Or gluing the stock to a backing board with a sheet of paper in the glue line will allow you to split the rosettes off after parting them with the cutter.  This would be my preference.

   Ray

4. 
   JohnWW | Feb 20, 2010 08:16pm | #7

   Bill,

   This can be done but you must do it very carefully, fly cutters are very dangerous, you are lucky that you didn't have some serious trouble.

   Here is how I would do it:

   Work with a strip of wood that will allow you to make as many rosettes as you need in a row down the length of the strip with at least a 1/2 inch or more of wood left on either side of the strip outside of the hole left by the fly cutter.  The rossettes should be spaced far enough apart that there will be at least 1", or more, of wood left between the holes.  In addition the strip will need to be long enough that there will excess stock on either end for clamping down the strip, about 16" longer than the portion of the strip that will be cut with rosettes.

   The strip should be thick enough to leave at least a 1/4" of solid wood below the bottom of the groove cut with the fly cutter, if the rosettes are to be 1/2" thick the board should be at least 3/4" thick.

   You will need to be able to cut the rosettes and then switch to the fly cutter and cut out the disk without changing the table height, if you move the table it will be very difficult to keep the fly cut centered exactly on the rosette.

   Now lay down the strip across the drill press table and clamp it down solidly on both ends.  The clamps must be well fitted or you are risking disaster.  If it is difficult to clamp directly to the drill press's table because of ribs on the underside of the table, bolt a piece of 3/4" plywood to the table first and clamp the strip on the overhanging edges of the plywood.  You can also clamp or screw a fence onto the table which will make it esier to reposition the strip when you slide it over to cut additional rosettes.

   Once the strip is solidly clamped down with two clamps, cut the rosette.  Next switch to a fly cutter and cut out the perimeter of the rosette, stopping the cut while there is still a 1/4" inch or more of wood left below the groove.  The fly cutter should always be run at the slowest possible speed that your drill press allows.

   When you have completed a series or rosettes down the length of the board, rip off the back of the strip on a bandsaw to free up the rosettes.

1. 
   wmmorrow | Feb 22, 2010 11:20am | #8

   Dear Mr. White,

   Thank you for your thoughtful answer to my query.

   I will try your method and advise after try with the holesaw I have ordered. It is one of the diamond ones that they use to cut holes in tile and granite counter tops. They are manufactured without center bits.

   My plan is to cut a rosette and without moving anything, chuck in the holesaw and see what happens. (at 240 rpm--the slowest my Delta drill press will allow)

   To highlite your point about the danger of fly cutters I will relate here what happened to me.

   The drill press is set-up with a Rockler drill press table, which has two clamps that are used to secure the table to the drill press table from the underside.

   I checked the tightness of these clamps. Clamped the drill press machinist vise assembly, (I have it mounted on a 12 inch square, 11/2 inch thick oak board.) to the Rockler table with 2 - 6 inch C clamps to the table base and with a stop at each side of the fence-left and right. Alinged the work piece clamped in the jaws of the machinist vise directly under the fly-cutter. (this took forever it seemed). Well about instantly I noticed a vibration, foolishly continued thinking I was secure.

   The bit broke! This has caused me great mental discomfort as you can imagine. The only thing I can guess is that the "tower effect" of the machist vise assemby could have caused the vibration.

   Your system gets the work and table much closer to each other.

   I relate this long story for the benifit of others who may desire to use the fly cutter as I did. The fly cutter with bit can be used easily. What I did was center the bit on the raised design of the center of the rosette and cut away till the rosette coud be seperated on the band saw. Then I rounded the end of a dowel and glued it into the rosette. You can even change the color of the center in this way if desired.

   So I had a workable situation other than changing to smaller band saw blades to free the rosette...,and that operation is frought with danger to finger tips itself!!!!

   So now two other methods to try.

   Thanks again to all who helped with their input!!

   Bill Morrow

5. 
   wmmorrow | Feb 24, 2010 10:58am | #9

   Will still try the diamond saw at a very slow speed and feed the work slowly. And clamped down as you instruct.

   John, in your opinion would any hole saw with out its center bit work??

   These fly cutters now have me spooked a bit.

   Appreciate your help!!!

   Bill

1. 
   RalphBarker | Feb 24, 2010 11:49am | #10

   I'm not John, but I'd say yes - as long as the work piece is firmly clamped vertically, and around the edges so it can neither rotate or raise with the teeth of the hole saw. I've clamped boards around the periphery of the work piece to eliminate the rotation, and have made jigs for this purpose. The advantage of the hole saw is that there's equal rotational force exerted around the circle being cut. The disadvantage is that the edge is a little rough, depending on the quality of the hole saw, and you need to do the cutting in small increments, so the hole saw can clear the dust. This is essentially the method I use for making lens boards for view cameras.

   The relatively rough edge is why I suggested the router and template route earlier.