end of board routing

[alanjoel]

I am building a face frame and need to route a rabbit on the end of 1x3 clear pine.

My tests have all resulted in the wood splitting at the end.

Any help for a first time router user.

Thanks Alan

[JohnH]

My suggestions would be to use a backer board to push your piece past the bit.I would also be sure that the bit is sharp.Also I would reduce the depth of the cut.Making the cut in 2 or three passes will help reduce the tearout.
Hope this helps...

John

[reible]

Originally Posted by alanjoel

I am building a face frame and need to route a rabbit on the end of 1x3 clear pine.

My tests have all resulted in the wood splitting at the end.

Any help for a first time router user.

Thanks Alan

Hi Alan,

Could you please tell us a little about your set-up? Are you using a table, hand held, straight bit or rabbiting bit, with the grain or across, are you working with a bearing or fence, miter gauge?????? John has some good points but with a little more detail from you we might have even more "good" ideas......

Ed

[PEARCO]

If only the end of a board is to be dadoed or routed, sometimes it pays to over size the piece untill the routing is completed, then cut piece to proper width.

Of course if you are edge cutting all sides, you cut the ends first, then the sides.