# Self center bit



## LuisG (Sep 13, 2012)

Hi guys!, hope you're all great!

I want to make some table tops out of solid wood, is there any router bit that self center? I mean, is there one that you can pass on the upper side of one board and the next board pass it at the bottom up and get a accurate joint no matter the position of the bit? Hope my english is up to the question :cray:

Does it make any sense? :wacko:
Luis


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## Tool Home LLC (Sep 18, 2012)

Are you asking about using a router for jointing boards?


Tom


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Luis, this is a trick mentioned in the Router Workshop series. By clamping your boards so they overlap a small amount and then making a pass down the middle you in effect edge joint the boards for a perfect fit. I would use a 1/2" straight or spiral bit for this.


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## LuisG (Sep 13, 2012)

Thanks Mike and Tom for your input.

I actually want a bit to use in my router table to joint boards on the long side (dont know the exact translation of that side of the board) I need a reversible bit that I can make the same travel of every board without having to center the bit on the first time (turning over the 2nd, 4th board and so on)








Something like this joint without having to worry about centering the bit height on every counter-pass.. a bit that I only need to place by eye and pass the first board, and in the same position pass thru the second board upside down.

Does it make any sense? :wacko:
Thanks for your time! 
Luis


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Luis please download the Whiteside catalog I attached. You will find several types of glue joint bits starting on page 22 including one of the profile you posted. This will give you the name for most types of bits and is great reference material.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

You can also find a downloadable CMT catalog. It has the same basic bit and shows how to set it up.


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## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

Also check out MLCS however before doing any of that why not just edge glue the boards? Some will say that you get more glue surface by adding some fancy edge to the boards which may be true but edge gluing has been used for centuries and has certainly stood the test of time.


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## LuisG (Sep 13, 2012)

Thanks guys! Im a young self learner woodworker therefore I dont have anyone to ask for this kind of info; all the jigs, tips and tricks I've learned I did it online on youtube and e-zines since here in Mexico is hard to get a decent learning material.. much appreciated!

Art, I know what you mean, that was my first join  then the pocket holes, Im trying to do something different instead of the traditional groove and tongue.. Im thinking on the mitre lock as I can use it to joint corners and flat boards aswell and give a different look to the furniture Im making.. thanks for your input!


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## damnitboy (Mar 3, 2012)

Another thought I use biscuits to align the thickness and then the edge gluing with the bicuits makes a great joint. I myself use clamping cauls to align the thickness as well and even on 3 foot wide glue ups it just takes a scraper and a little sanding as long as the edges of the material being glued up is at a perfect 90 degree angle to the width of the wood.

Best of luck to you,
-Eloy


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## Tool Home LLC (Sep 18, 2012)

The CMT Reverse Glue Joint Bit is part #855.501.


Tom


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Luis, consider a spline joint. I needed to join two boards together for a wide mantle top. I cut a 1/2" (12.7mm) wide groove in the boards and inserted a 1/2" wide spline (also made on the table saw) into the groove. Very stable and very easy.


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## malb (Sep 15, 2008)

Luis, you have been given a few suggestions for bits similar to the one you showed in the forth post. This style of bit are good when properly set up, but the bit height setting is critical for a result free of steps at the joints.When using them, it is also important that the material all be exactly the same thickness, generally achieved by passing each piece through a jointer and thicknesser without varying the settings piece to piece. Typical store bought lumber/timber is machined to a nominal size at the mill, but can shrink, warp, twist or bow in the time between milling and use, making it almost impossible to get a perfect setup for the bit as the parts are not perfectly matched.


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