Birchwood

Okay.Here's the problem. A graceful curving swan neck, cut from nice clear pine, 20" from base to top of head. Cut on jig saw and I want to turn (roundover) edges. I've watched Rick n'Bob do it a million times on the table, using the "safety pin" etc. but I have never done it. My Rockler table insert has no provision for a pin, so I will try a pointed stick clamped in place. If I am standing in front of my table and my bit is turning clockwise, it will be coming toward me on the right hand side of cut out. So where does safety pin go? Can I round the entire shape in this manner; it gets a little "curvy" up around the head and bill. IS there a better way. I know I can ALWAYS sand the edges, but they are never as nice an uniform. All suggestions will be appreciated.

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labric

Hi Birchwood

You shouldn't need a pin, because your workpiece is quite large, and a pin will only get in your way, as you work yourself around the perimeter.

Use a pin when you have small pieces and your hands are close to the router bit, and there is a danger of getting pulled into the bit.

Start anywhere along your piece, with a firm grip and ease your piece into the bit, moving left to right no matter where you are standing. Slow down around your narrowest widths ie. neck, beak etc. Watch for tearout.

Hope this helps. Give it a go!!

PS:If you have a pin, you can drill a 1/8" hole in your baseplate to take a pin. Pin should be to the right side of the hole, from the side you are most comfortable to work from and if you are Right Handed and reverse if you are left handed.

Ric

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GoonMan

Hello Birchwood,

I use my trim router or my plunge router with a 1/4" or 3/8" Roundover bit for all of my curved pieces. I will clamp it to my work bench and take my time. I also will make a couple of passes with the bit especially on small or really curved pieces.

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bobj3

Birchwood

Just one more way.See Below ▼

Or just drill and tap a 1/4-20 hole in the base plate (use a #7 drill bit) to the right of the router bit (about 1.125") then get a 1/4-20 x 3" bolt, then cut off some so the threads form the bolt ,so you have about 1/2" of good threads then cut the head off so you end up with a pin that's 1 3/8" long, round the top just a bit.
If have a brass bolt use it if not just a steel one until you get by ACE or Home Depot to get a brass bolt.

Bj
▼
Look for a small pin jig ▼ on link below
http://www.routerforums.com/show-n-tell/2532-just-some-shop-snapshots.html

Julie

Sorry if this is obvious, BUT...
practice first with scrap wood until you get the hang of it. Wouldn't want to ruin your pretty swan!
~Julie~

steveo

If the router is under the table with the bit "looking up at you" the bit will be turning counter clockwise, not clockwise !!
If the work piece is between you and the router bit, move the work piece from right to left. If the bit is between you and the work piece, move the work piece from left to right. It depends what "setup" you are comfortable with. If I'm using a pattern and pattern bit, I like to see the bit follow the pattern. Practice with a junk piece, and fashion a bit guard over the bit !!
steveo

Birchwood

Okay fellas, got the job done. And I really appreciate all the suggestions. It turned out I was able-because of the large size of the piece-do use a clamped on "finger" as a safety pin and I might not have needed that once I got the feel for the work. I AM going to come up with a way to add a pin to my Rockler table insert.
BUT here's the interesting part. I have an old Crafstman router table, complete with router, that was given to me a year or so back. I pulled it out, cleaned it up and put a bit in it. Clamped it to my big bench with a proper bit in it. Proceeding cautiously I completed my job. And I now have a convenient set up, tossed back in the corner where it had rested for a year, for quick roundover jobs. I would not expect too much from that little rig, but it sure as heck can do the roundover work. Turns out its a handy little piece of gear....and the price was RIGHT! Same guy tossed out a big ol' Delta miter saw and I started fooling around with it one day, cleaned it up, checked it out, adjusted it etc. Fired it up and wouldn't you know....cuts just fine!! And he thought it was JUNK! Thanks again for the help fellas.