# Using my router table for the cutting board



## Gmww (May 19, 2013)

The learning curve for me has been quite steep. My first projects using a router has been to make end grain cutting boards. OK I've figured how to round the edges and make finger groove to pick up the board.

What is the trick to making blood grooves on the top of the board using a router table? Thanks ahead of time.

Gmww


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

There is no good way on a router table. That would require you to drop a board onto a spinning bit which is both dangerous and unlikely to give you good results. You didn't fill out your public profile so I don't know if you have a plunge router but that is the right tool for the job.There are at least 2 ways to do it, maybe more but without knowing what you are capable of I'm not sure what to recommend. 

Do you have a plunge router and do you have and know how to use guide bushings?


----------



## Gmww (May 19, 2013)

Sorry about that. I have a Triton 3.5 hp mounted on an Incra plate with an Incra table and super fence. I also have the MLCS 66 bit set. I would rather leave the router attached to the table rather than take it off if possible. It's a pain to take on and off. I'm intending on purchasing another router for portable work at a later time. 

As fare as the project goes, I was thinking of making round cups in the corners to hold the blood starting with Forstner bit (drill press). I was thinking of cleaning up the pilot hole from the Forstner bit with a Dish cutter from the router on the router table. Then using the cups as a starting and ending point I was planning of using 1/2" round nose bit and gradually increasing the heights from cup to cup with each pass. The fence would be my guide for distance from the edge of the cutting board to groove. The grooves would start and end at each corner cup.

Never doing this before I figured I better ask the more experienced rather than re-invent the wheel. 

Gmww


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Depending on the size of the forstner holes you might be able to safely do that on a table but the hole would have to be a lot bigger than the router bit and deeper in depth so that you could easily hit the hole with no chance of catching the side of the hole or the bottom. Otherwise it isn't safe. You can use a template with the bits you mentioned if they have a bearing mounted on the shank of the bit like these 4 Bit Round Nose Router Bit Set Plunge 1 4" Shank Yonico 14460Q | eBay . If you don't have any bits like this you can modify ones you have by adding a bearing with the same OD as your bit and then adding a lock ring. 

There is another way to do it but it requires that you use your router in its plunge function which I would really strongly recommend to you anyway. It is tempting to take shortcuts but it is also hard to do woodworking when you are missing fingers. If you plan on making a few cutting boards then I would do everything needed on the table and then remove the router and do the rest that way. By the way, if you mount the router to a plate, like the one Grizzly sells for $13, then you can lift the router out of the table anytime you want.


----------



## Gmww (May 19, 2013)

Thanks for the info. I'm going to do some testing today at the drill press on some scrap wood. After I get my 10 posts down, I hope to post a nice finished product.

Gmww


----------



## Gmww (May 19, 2013)

Update. I tested my 1" bowl cutter bit in my drill press and it worked well. However it is to small so I ended up using a Forstner 1-1/4". I then used my 1/2" round core bit on the router table and made incremental increases with each pass between the Forstner holes i made. It worked well. However, I will be purchasing a 1-1/4" bowl cutter bit for my next cutting board. They just look cleaner than the Forstner bit. I'll post photos once I get past the 10 min. post rule.


----------



## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Glenn
You can post now as long as the picture is on your own hard drive
Go to advanced and upload


----------



## Gmww (May 19, 2013)

I'm not satisfied with the Forstner bit results. Next time I'll use a Bowl bit in the 1-1/8" size. It will look cleaner. The other board I made for my daughter and she said don't touch it!


----------



## lonetree (Nov 23, 2012)

Glenn
Those are beautiful what wood did you use?


----------



## Gmww (May 19, 2013)

Maple and walnut. Thanks.


----------

