Using router as edge jointer – (a tip)
I once had some 8′ boards to glue up. Try as I might, my little ole 6″ Jet jointer would not cut the mustard for jointing the edges of the boards.
So, I trimmed the edges with my table saw to get them into a reasonably straight line. I layed the boards up side down about 3/8″ apart and screwed some 1×6 boards across the ends. I flipped them back over and secured a 1×12 to the top with clamps. The 1×12 guide board was positioned such that a 1/2″ down cut spiral bit (1/2″ shank) would take off equal amounts from the edge of both boards. I then very carefully ran the router bit down the crack. When finished, the boards mated perfectly with an invisible glue joint.
This was done on top of a couple of saw horses. If you screw up and bobble a little, just reposition the boards and run again. It’s best to make a couple of dry runs to make sure cords don’t get in the way, etc.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
PlaneWood
Replies
Mike, Great idea I thought I knew all the tricks but I missed that one.
Bet it'll work even if the straight edge is not perfectly straight
Maybe even 'Wavy' ? Ed.
Yep, sure will. You just want to make sure that the straight edge doesn't bow any as your pushing the router against it. That's why I used a 1x12.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
cool. I imagine lYou could use this for an irregular edge too...
Say you were trying to fit to wavy edges together - cut your template out on a bandsaw -
for example a "wavy" chess board..
Thanks for a new tip...
Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
Geeeeeeeeee. Took this old brain awhile to figured out what you did BUT I finally got it.. GOOD Idea! That was inventive!
Took this old guy about 5 readings to get it! LOL
Edited 4/14/2005 1:08 pm ET by Will George
This technique is not new; solid-surface countertop (e.g., Corian) installers use it for making invisible seams.
You can also edge joint on a router table. Use a spiral bit, with the outfeed part of the fence set even with the outer diameter of the bit; both of which are set a little offset from the infeed part of the fence.
This is not only standard practice for solid surface seams, it works like a charm for laminates also.
"... Try as I might, my little ole 6" Jet jointer would not cut the mustard for jointing the edges of the boards. ..."
You need to fix whatever is wrong with your jointer! I get perfect joinery with my Jet 6" jointer. Although I check the fence for square to the table, I still alternate the opposing sides of a joint; i.e., face out on one and bottom out on the next. That way, if the fence is out even a hair, the joint has to be dead-on.
Regards,
Bill Arnold - Custom Woodcrafting
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Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
Bill - being 63 years old, I just cannot man-handle a 8' x 12" hardwood board through my 6" jet jointer. Up to 6' long I can do pretty good. If I had a good set of outfeed rollers, I might could do it.
I also use my circular saw now, with guide, on 4x8 plywood instead of my table saw. Heck, I used to stand back and chunk those thangs at the table saw from 6' away!!!! :)
I too started using the router jointing technique with laminates. That was about 30 years ago.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
I faintly remember this being in a method of work in FW years ago.
being 63 years old, I just cannot man-handle a ..
At least it's not a man-handle a Lone Star!
Why the spiral bit? Would a straight bit not work as well? I know I'm missing something because several of you specifically mentioned using a spiral bit, but I'm wondering what it is about the spiral that makes it so special for this application.
The spiral bit makes a really nice clean surface w/o ridges. It slices off little ribbons of wood. High speed steel can take a better edge than carbide which may be part of the diference too. I use 1/2" cutters of the type that would be used in metalworking milling machines. Another benefit is that they're cheap.The best joint that I've found comes from edge jointing with the method of your choice, then taking a pass or two with a really sharp #7 hand plane.Pete
Brad -
Is that true of the higher priced micro-grained carbide bits?
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
Not sure. From a purely theoretical standpoint, I'd be surprised if any carbide was capable of taking the same edge as HSS. There's a reality factor though in that hss end mills probably don't come with an edge as sharp as what the material is capable of.
I've found 4-flute spiral end mills work great for jointing, so there are all kinds of differences at work besides the material.
For the last pass, I don't know of anything that beats a #7.
Pete
"The best joint that I've found comes from edge jointing with the method of your choice, then taking a pass or two with a really sharp #7 hand plane."
That's my experience as well, but apparently it's not universal.
It's important to plane the mating pieces together, clamped front to front. That insures that any slight angle in the jointing matches up to give a perfectly flat result.
I've gotten very good glue joints out of router alone too.
Pete
Also, the down spiral bit pushes the chips down through the crack and they don't get in your face and up against the fence. I guess the down spiral also gives you more of a shaving cut instead of a slicing cut. As well as a cleaner cut, that will also tend to make any tearout on the bottom and not on the top surface.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
Not to quibble, but wouldn't that be an upspiral bit to pull cuttings downward? We are using a router table here, no?
~ : }
Dan
Dan -
No, we moving the router by hand down the crack between the two boards using a guide board.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
Oops, sorry. That's what I get from picking up the middle of a thread.
D
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