Router table template shaping safety

[Dissolve]

I've been trying to shape some complex pieces on my router table using very shallow depth cuts in american maple, I've left around 0-1mm of material outside of the template and I'm attempting to take a 5-10mm deep pass at a time.

The piece is quite long and has straight sides with tight curves at either end, obviously the straight sides that run with the grain are a breeze to route as I can hold the end to the left of the piece and then glide the work into the cutter and almost "pull" the work away which feels much much safer.

But when it comes to routing the opposite side, I reach the end of the piece and guide the work past the router cutter on the end grain and exit the cut, the shallow depth leaves a decent finish on the end grain, but when I come to starting the cut again, I'm obviously then left trying to almost "push" the piece into the cut which is much more intimidating, obviously the cutter is going against the grain orientation, but the 5mm depth of cut should make light work of that, I'm just concerned about where I should put my hands when trying to attempt entering the cut like this, I know actually pushing the work into the cutter is a bad idea, in these situations, how is it best to enter the cut when you have start on the end of a long piece and work round to the straight edge?

Should you always be leaving your hands on the exit side of the router table? Should I be using a starting pin to steady the entry cut?

Grateful for all advice!

 

[Mr T]

Hi

I'm assuming you are using a bearing guided cutter to follow the template, if not please ignore the following!

Is the work only shaped at either end with straight sides? If you make the template flush with the sides you should be able to start OK at the side. If this is not an option and you have to start on the curve use the starting pin to steady the work until the bearing is against the template. How big is the piece you are shaping? Shaping small pieces this way can be a little risky, if you are only shaping the ends it may be worth making templates for either end but extending them so the template has more mass and you are able to hold it more safely. The piece could be clamped to the templates using toggle clamps.

If you are concerned about the quality of finish when going against the end grain you could try inverting the piece. You could do this by using a cuter with the bearing at the other end eg change from bearing on top to the bottom or vice verse. Or if the shape is symetrical flipping the template.

Chris

 

[AndyT]

Would it make sense to extend the template beyond the end of the workpiece, so that at the end you can get the cutter properly lined up ready before it contacts the wood?

 

[Dissolve]

Yes I'm using bearing guides cutters from Wealden, the finish isn't what I'm concerned with as much as the best practical way to start the cut in difficult curves.

Starting the cut on a straight side is absolutely fine as would except, and when comes to the shaped ends i can sweep the cut round so that it exits the work on a tight section of end grain, I'm comfortable with this because my hands are then to the left of the table and out of harms way as I pull the work away from the cutter in the feed direction. But then I have to start the cut on a rounded end with end grain, so this requires a certain amount of pushing force on the end of the work with my hands going towards the cutter/feed direction.

I'm thinking there must be a way to preform these cuts safer, I think if I make a "tray" from some thin ply I could screw some toggle clamps to which could then secure my work/template to.

Then if I add some handles I could keep my hands clear of bit but I lose some depth from my router bits by lifting the bearing up to the raised template height.

Anyone think this a good/terrible idea?