# Western Red Cedar Tearout



## thebookman (Nov 24, 2011)

I'm having a lot of trouble trying to make adirondack chairs with western red cedar. I'm drawing my outline and using a band saw to trim close before I use a pattern bit on my router table. On the router I keep getting massive tear outs destroying the piece. I changed bit thinking maybe it was getting dull but that wasn't the answer. Im looking for help!!!!


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

You're doing everything right but sometimes that isn't enough. Red Cedar is possibly the worst wood in the world for splitting along the grain which is one of the two reasons it's so good for making hand split shakes. Where you're having problems is working into the grain at any angle. If there is any way possible try working downhill on the grain by turning end for end or working on the opposite face for example. I don't like recommending climb cutting because it can be dangerous but you may not have a choice in some situations. One other option with a router is to try clamping in a few spots but that will slow you down.

One final suggestion is sanding them to shape. Cedar will sand as fast as it can be routed. Remember that this is an outdoor chair and if the arms are close to the same shape no one will ever be able to tell the difference. In this case, close is good enough.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

*Suck It Up*

+1 What Charles said.
But DON'T breath the W.R. Cedar dust! It _really_ isn't good for you :fie:

http://www.worksafebc.com/publications/health_and_safety/by_topic/assets/pdf/cedar_asthma_ph51.pdf


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

+1 with Charles 
Here is a video that might work in this instance
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-l4suyL84-w


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## tvman44 (Jun 25, 2013)

WRC is probably one of the worst if the worst wood to try to do what you want to do. I tried to cut some WRC using a pattern and had the same problems you are having and gave up.


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## DonkeyHody (Jan 22, 2015)

I'm with the rest. I've built at least a couple dozen adirondack chairs, but down heah, we tend to use cypress. Never saw the need to use a pattern bit. After all, you ain't building a grand piano. For the arms and other curved pieces, I used a jigsaw. I used a tablesaw and taper jig for the back slats and just a tablesaw for the bottom slats. Sanded curved edges on a belt sander til they looked OK then rounded over everything. Ordinary deck screws did not last well, but I started using stainless and they outlasted the chairs.


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## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

Very good idea on Bump Cutting John. I am going to try that.


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## DonkeyHody (Jan 22, 2015)

Bump cutting . . . now why didn't I think of that? Very good tip.


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## katabrontes (Nov 12, 2014)

I have had problems profiling skirting in MDF and find that I get a rather shaggy finish even if I make repeated cuts of about 3mm depth. Curiously the first small sample I did in two cuts removing about 8mm on each was the best. Would preliminary bump cutting help here? A bit fiddly but worth it if the finish was much better.
I have attached a few pics to show the set-up and the result of the first sample (the best)

Any advice from more experienced workers would be appreciated.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

It may be the grade of mdf you are using Mike. Are you using the cabinet grade? It will rout cleaner than the standard grade.


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## Red Stick (Sep 7, 2011)

*How to rout Western Red Cedar?*

Notice how this changed from WRC to MDF?

Gene, I also make Adirondack chairs and rout the arms. Also having problems with tearout. A friend of mine showed me that climb cutting would make it better. Not so. I recently had to make 5 arms to get 2 good ones. The 2 good ones came with cutting very close to the line on the bandsaw. 

I like the idea of bump cutting and will try that the next time. 

BTW, are you with Eureka?


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## katabrontes (Nov 12, 2014)

Thanks for this tip Charles. I didn't know there were different grades. Just got what they had in stock at the local Woodward in France. Timber here isn't good.


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