Router Bits

[jonluv]

Hello All,
Been a Scroll Sawer since the Forties so all the following is new to me!
Was given a load of Black Walnut pieces— did some Scrolling and Intarsia but decided to make a dozen or so cutting/cheese boards and they have turned out ok.
Would like to “Roundover “ edges so made a very basic router table— attached a router put in a Roundover bit and nothing— the bit is not long enough to cut the wood but put in a longish straight bit and all ok
It seems I have 2 options longer bit ( if possible) or thinner table
Advice please

 

[pcb1962]

The third option is a collet extension

 

[sploo]

I have a DIY router table (made from a 38mm thick recycled door). I cut a suitably sized hole in the top (about the size of an A4 sheet of paper), then ran a rabbet/rebate around the top of the hole that's about 10mm wide and 12mm deep. Into that recess drops a 12mm sheet of MDF - to which the router is attached.

That'll give you most of the benefits of a sturdy table, but with the base of the router only 12mm from the top of your table. You can use aluminium sheet instead, or tufnol, or buy one of the ready made plates: e.g. https://www.axminster.co.uk/ujk-technol ... ate-502749

 

[Raymond UK]

I have a router table that I use everyday but when I need to do small jobs elsewhere I have got a piece of melamine in which I have placed some 6 or 9mm ply to attach one of my 1/4 routers in. Just clamp it on a workmate so the router does in between the two table tops.

Another solution is to remove the baseplate of the router and replace it with a larger piece of ply. That way you can do it by hand without the risk of the router falling off/tilting.

Just some offcuts will do the job. See pictures below.

 

[jonluv]

Many thanks to All
Have got some 6mm Acrylic left over from some Scroll work so will use that as an insert
John

 

[sploo]

Many thanks to All
Have got some 6mm Acrylic left over from some Scroll work so will use that as an insert
John

That might be a little too thin/flexible, but you may be OK if your router isn't too large and heavy.

Acrylic can tend to crack and shatter though - especially when drilled.

 

[Raymond UK]

Acrylic can tend to crack and shatter though - especially when drilled.

Good point. This could turn out dangerous if it does decide to shatter when the router is running at whatever silly speed... :shock:

Might be safer to use some ply.

I think I still have my homemade router insert plate I made out of aluminium somewhere. You can have that if I can find it.

 

[MikeG.]

I have a couple of solid homemade router tables, and I simply let the router base into the underside such that there is maybe 6 to 9mm thickness of board above it. I've never understood the attraction of these inserts that people seem to use.

 

[Raymond UK]

I think the removable inserts are the best thing about router insert plates. They allow the use of bits from small to large with a safe amount of clearance around the cutters.

I think back in the day the main feature was to remove the router with the insert plate to make life easier changing router bits before router lifts etc.

99% of the time I use the same or similar size cutters but occasionally I need to use panel cutters which are pretty big and require a bigger hole.

 

[Sideways]

Why use a router table at all ?
Handheld with a bearing guided cutter.
If you are rounding over both top and bottom edges, do the top side first and leave a minimal flat strip between the two curves so that the bearing has a stable edge to guide it when you are rounding over the second side.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I expect the OP is thinking to round over pieces of intarsia too small to be held down.

 

[Sideways]

That would be a sound reason
I assumed this was just about rounding over the edges of his cutting boards, very straightforward with a decent 1/4" plunge router. There's enough base to give you stability if you keep one column towards the centre of the workpiece and some pressure downwards on that handle ...