how do I cut this detail with a router?

[Graham Orm]

Nothing to do with romance. Having cut chamfers on things by drawknife, I know how quick it is. The only thing to watch out for is grain direction; take that into account (couple of shallow trial cuts will soon tell you), and you can whip the waste out very quickly. With a little practice and a sharp drawknife, you can get a pretty good finish, too. That end detail would be a doddle, too - invert the knife and use it bevel-down.

This is one instance when handtools quite genuinely are quicker than any machine method.

Two minutes each chamfer. Tops.

Do you own a router?

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Nothing to do with romance. Having cut chamfers on things by drawknife, I know how quick it is. The only thing to watch out for is grain direction; take that into account (couple of shallow trial cuts will soon tell you), and you can whip the waste out very quickly. With a little practice and a sharp drawknife, you can get a pretty good finish, too. That end detail would be a doddle, too - invert the knife and use it bevel-down.

This is one instance when handtools quite genuinely are quicker than any machine method.

Two minutes each chamfer. Tops.

Do you own a router?

Do you own a drawknife?

 

[Graham Orm]

Nothing to do with romance. Having cut chamfers on things by drawknife, I know how quick it is. The only thing to watch out for is grain direction; take that into account (couple of shallow trial cuts will soon tell you), and you can whip the waste out very quickly. With a little practice and a sharp drawknife, you can get a pretty good finish, too. That end detail would be a doddle, too - invert the knife and use it bevel-down.

This is one instance when handtools quite genuinely are quicker than any machine method.

Two minutes each chamfer. Tops.

Do you own a router?

Do you own a drawknife?

Yes but never use it now I have my router.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

My comments on the speed of cutting chamfers with a drawknife were made on the basis of hard experience, not on supposition, and I stand by them.

Grayorm - may I respectfully request that if you wish to have some sort of argument about hand vs. power methods, or whatever, you find another adversary? I do not wish to get bogged down in any boring, and ultimately pointless, spats of such nature; I suspect the majority of readers do not wish to see them, either. I have not denigrated any suggested router method, and rather resent the implication that the methods I suggest (based, as I say, on hard experience) are ripe for mickey-taking.

If the OP chooses a different method of cutting the chamfers outlined in his original post to those I suggest, that's fine by me. We all have our different methods, and the right one is the one that works for you, based on your available equipment, skills and inclinations.

 

[tobyriches]

Cheers for all the comments. I love this kind of stuff.

I thought that a 45 degree bearing cutter was the way to go, but that the runout would not match the existing detail.

My own thought on this was using the palm router set at 45 degrees with a top bearing cutter. Clamp a jig matching the full shape of the cut to the top of the post and go to.

I don't own a drawknife and if i got one it would have to be a good one, so that's 30-40 quid I don't want to spend. Plus I'll have to spend a couple of hours playing with it before using it on a finished post (not exactly time wasted but hey). I have used a spoke shave in the past to cut a 100mm bullnose from layered 18mm MDF so I totally know how valuable a tool they could be.

Will try and convince the client that a 45 degree chamfer with the steeper runout is the way to go, if not I'll make a jig up to match the gentler curve.

 

[Graham Orm]

My comments on the speed of cutting chamfers with a drawknife were made on the basis of hard experience, not on supposition, and I stand by them.

Grayorm - may I respectfully request that if you wish to have some sort of argument about hand vs. power methods, or whatever, you find another adversary? I do not wish to get bogged down in any boring, and ultimately pointless, spats of such nature; I suspect the majority of readers do not wish to see them, either. I have not denigrated any suggested router method, and rather resent the implication that the methods I suggest (based, as I say, on hard experience) are ripe for mickey-taking.

If the OP chooses a different method of cutting the chamfers outlined in his original post to those I suggest, that's fine by me. We all have our different methods, and the right one is the one that works for you, based on your available equipment, skills and inclinations.

I didn't try to start an argument, I asked if you owned a router. You chose not to answer and to take it as mickey taking. Do you own a router?

 

[andersonec]

For what it's worth (I haven't seen it suggested yet) 45 deg bearing guided cutter, stop 10 / 15mm short and finish the curve with a sharp chisel bevel down.

Andy

 

[Jacob]

For what it's worth (I haven't seen it suggested yet) 45 deg bearing guided cutter, stop 10 / 15mm short and finish the curve with a sharp chisel bevel down.

Andy

Well yes. Couldn't be simpler, wosser problem?
Scooping out the end is one situation on which a rounded bevel is actually useful.

Better still the whole thing with a draw knife - also better with a rounded bevel as it gives much more control.

 

[rileytoolworks]

Wow! How can such a simple request for help start an argument?
Just for clarity, my comment about the drawknife being romantic was tongue in cheek.
I am a maker of hand tools, so have no fear I am not a devout power tool user but the title of this thread is, after all

how do I cut this detail with a router?

Good luck with the chamfers Tobyriches, and the unit overall. Don't forget to post pictures when you're done.

All the best.

Adam.

 

[Jacob]

Better still the whole thing with a draw knife - also better with a rounded bevel as it gives much more control.

Or even better with a round spokeshave 151 etc. You really should not be looking at jigs for such a simple little job. Spend the time practicing on scrap first - it's another very useful skill to acquire.