[LBrandt]

Hello,

This may sound like a dumb question, but I’m still a newbie, so I’ll ask it.

Suppose I want to put a slight profile (maybe roundover or chamfer) on all four edges of a 1x8 piece of lumber, 4 feet long.

I have a decent size Bosch router table. Even though I’m a newbie, I’m pretty sure that I can guide the piece well enough to do the long edges, but what do I do when I try to handle the short edges? When I’m pushing the short edge past the bit, and I have most of the length of the 1x8 perpendicular to the fence, what do I do to keep the piece from wobbling as it goes past the bit?

If you tell me to hand route the short edges, won’t I have a problem getting the bit positioned properly to exactly match the degree of roundover or chamfer that I did on the long edge?

Or are you going to tell me to do the whole job by hand and not use a router table at all?
Thanks,
Louis

 

[challagan]

In my opinion a hand router is the way to go here with a chamfer bit with a bearing on it or a round over if that is what you choose. Definitely the easiest way to go and just as fast if not faster. This is the kind of job a trimmer router is just great for but any router will work.

Corey

P.S. not a dumb question either

 

[bobj3]

Hi Louis

The router table can do all you want and do it very well
I think Bob or Rick said you can do about 80% of your routering jobs on the router table.
Plunge router are great but it takes more control to get the job done right on the 1st. time, the table takes the control error out of the job because you don't need to hold the router flat and parallel to the cut.

This is what I would do, 1st find a 2 x 4 as long as your fence then zero the bit to the fence and move the bit up or down.
Once you have that done that place the stock next to the fence now clamp the 2 x 4 to the fence(2 clamps) ,besure to have the stock under what you want to route , check the left and of the fence and the right side of the fence just to made sure the stock can just slide under the 2 x 4 free but just touch.

Once have it set use some of the same stock and make a push block, the ones that work best for me are the ones that have handles ,(Org.Ones) just need to drill two holes it in and screw it to the push block, then make the pass on both ends of the stock then flip it around and make the long passes.

NOTE*** if you don't have one of the Org./Yellow push blocks just screw a piece of 2 x 4 to the push block for a handle..> just something to hold on to and control the push block.

The push block should be about 12" long this will let you move by the bit with out dropping into the black hole behide the bit.
If you want to make sure the stock stays in place put on some masking tape at the butt joint, this will help you hold the stock true to the fence at the pass.

Note on the 2 x 4 ,all it's doing is holding the stock down to the table for long boards so you don't get the little snipe in the middle of the pass that can ruin the looks of the project.

Hope this helps
But most of all have FUN and be safe.

Bj