Wood Snagging on Router Fence

[Bottingswood]

Good morning to all. I need some help with my router table. I’ve recently, like another million people during lockdown, gotten into woodwork and as a result bought a router table (Trend WRT). When I am pushing the wood through the bit, along the fence, the front edge of the wood catches against the edge of the left side fence, as it exits the cut, which (9 times out of 10) causes a indent / imperfection in the cut. I’ve measured the fence and both sides are equal size. I presuming (due to my relative inexperience) that it is operator error and would appreciate sage advice to resolve the issue?

 

[Essex Barn Workshop]

Two quick suggestions, firstly put a straight edge across the fence to check it is level, and that the left side doesn't protrude a mm or 2 and you might also want to build your own fence ( this can be quite simple) and clamp it to the trend one.

 

[Bottingswood]

Thank’s for the swift reply. I’ve measured the fence and the numbers are equal. My initial thoughts were that the left fence could be proud but when the two sides are closed (touching) they are bang on equal. I’m also experiencing an issue where the last inch of a piece (once it has cleared the right fence) slips into the bit further and causes an indent of a mm or so!

 

[Doug B]

Try using sacrificial fences, I use thin strips of MDF.
I set up the router bit then push the MDF into the cutter, back it of a little & fix it to the fence, this prevents any snipe & tear out

 

[eribaMotters]

You could also search finger boards. Imagine a strip of 10mm plywood with thin cuts at 60 degrees every 10 mm. You clamp this board to your router table and set it so it forms a snug fit against your timber that is being pushed along next to the fence. It keep an even pressure on your work and reduces the effect of what you are experiencing.

Colin

 

[hunter27]

This is something that always surprises me being an occasional router table user, the thickness of wood cut off by the bit cuts a step in the work piece so ideally the fence should protrude more after the cut than before it to allow for that, perhaps having a shim on the fence after the cut would solve the problem but it would have to be the same thickness as the cut you are taking. I usually make sure the piece is longer than required to be trimmed off after the cut. If you are catching the fence after the cut I can only guess the work is not parallel to the fence?

 

[Bottingswood]

Doug, Eriba & Hunter, thank you for the input, all food for thought and I guess part of the trials of novice woodwork / routing. I will try the suggestions and see how it goes.

 

[Bottingswood]

Hunter, in relation to the work not being parallel, this was my initial thought so I made sure I used a piece precise within 0.20mm around and the same effect was apparent. Properly frustrating! I even made a jig to hold the piece square in place and it stuck, stoping the jig in its track. My presumption was / is operator error but I beginning to wonder!

 

[recipio]

Fences that protrude unequally can a problem. If the front half of the fence is slightly set back the piece 'falls off ' the back fence into the router cutter and forms a snipe. However, don't forget that some bits like a bullnose will take a mm or two off the entire width of the piece so some kind of shim will be necessary on the front fence. I tried to make a two part adjustable fence once but it was difficult to get accuracy and rigidity. Now I'm saving for the Jessem TA fence which is two part.

 

[Bottingswood]

Recipo, thanks for that, I’ve looked at the Jessem TA and 450 English is a hefty bit of wedge, especially when I’m fitting it (if it would marry) to a Trend table. Food for thought though, I know in life you get what you pay for so……….

 

[Droogs]

Is ity happening when you are working the full edge only or when you are using a pattern bit such as an ogee etc? If you are working the whole edge to get a true 90 deg edge to the face, then you are using the table like a planer on its side and ideally need a split fence to allow the outfeed side to make accomodation for the removed material during the cut. If it is happening when using an edge pattern bit as well then you may have some slight twist in the fence (which I guess is aluminium). Try truing up the fence's face in the same way you would a plane sole, you may be surprised at what comes off.

 

[Bottingswood]

Droogs, thank you for your input, appreciated. As you may have guessed I’m new to routing and the table is only 5 weeks old which is also the equivalent of my experience on table routers. When I first put it together I was aware of the split fence facility, which I used without (too much ) problem. My ‘main’ problem is when I was trying to carryout a lock mitre joint, the vertical would stick every time and ruin the piece. The horizontals went through (with a jiggle) pretty much intact. Having viewed various Bob’s and bits on the tinterweb I saw that infinity tools made a jig (US site) and unfortunately the UK shop did not carry stock and the lead time went into months. To cut a long story long, I made the jig advertised and although it solved the stability issue the snagging still took place and much ffin and jeffin I am where I am on this forum.

To add insult to injury my extractor has packed up (also 5 weeks old) and my routing time is on hold until FFX resolve it with Trend (common theme her developing with Trend!!).

 

[Woody2Shoes]

Besides using a sacrificial fence - as already suggested - I would think carefully about the profile you're cutting. Some profiles modify the entire vertical face of the workpiece (the vertical face that bears on the infeed side of the fence) and this guarantees that the freshly-cut profile won't be properly supported by the outfeed side of the fence (unless that's been adjusted to suit the difference). You may discover that you need a suitable support for the workpiece on the outfeed side fence that is effectively the inverse of the profile you're cutting (if that makes any sense!).

 

[Bottingswood]

Hey Woody, thanks for taking the time to give some input. I think what you have recommended is a bit above my pay grade at this stage, think I’m module 1 or thereabouts, keen as a keen thing on a keen day but not as versed in methodology. If you have a link to you tube which could give a wee bit more insight into your suggested technique I would be obliged.

 

[Droogs]

Also meant to ask are you using featherboards to keep the piece tight against the fence as it goes through?

 

[mikej460]

I sometimes had this on my home made table that has a fixed mouth for the cutter. I found that I needed to make sure I applied enough side pressure against the fence, either using feather boards and/or hand pressure, during the infeed. Likewise as the piece feeds across then cutter need to either have a feather board on the outfeed side and/or apply side pressure to avoid sniping. So that's 2 featherboards as one featherboard across the in and out feed wouldn't be helping you here. My longer term solution is to make the fence mouth adjustable but I see the Trend WRT has adjustable cheeks so have you closed these to the minimum for the installed cutter?

 

[Bottingswood]

Droogs / Mike, I have one feather board on the track for the side push in to the cut and one on the fence for downward pressure out of the cut. I will invest in another fence for side pressure coming out and see how that goes. Thanks for the guidance.

 

[Bottingswood]

Mike, with the fence aperture, I make sure it is closed to within mm to the bit cutting edge although the insert plate is not as close with the mitre lock bit. Also with the vertical pass on the mitre lock, it is not possible to use a feather board which is why I tried building the jig but still the sniping.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

Hey Woody, thanks for taking the time to give some input. I think what you have recommended is a bit above my pay grade at this stage, think I’m module 1 or thereabouts, keen as a keen thing on a keen day but not as versed in methodology. If you have a link to you tube which could give a wee bit more insight into your suggested technique I would be obliged.

Could you maybe post a sketch of the profile you're cutting, together with the size/shape of the workpiece?

 

[Bottingswood]

Mike, just did some Google / Tube research and the penny has dropped with the sniping thing. Being a novice I’m learning the new terms and sniping wasn’t in the glossary as yet but thanks to you…..

It would appear possible that the sniping is caused by me taking too much off the piece in one go. Certainly reads /looks right when watching on the Tube. Thanks for adding to my woodwork vocabulary, I guess in woodwork, as in life, you don’t know what you don’t know!

Having had another look on the Tube it would appear that tape out the exit fence resolves the sniping problem. I will test and revert.