# Routing Hardwood (oak) - Need Help



## cchowland (Aug 2, 2011)

Hi,

Need some help, I recieved a call from work today and have to make filler strip for our rink boards out hard wood (oak) to fit in bottom of zamboni doors (see pic). The plastic one is broken and this is for an outside rink. I have to router a 3/4" slot then rabbet it for a bolt to recess in. The wood is 1" thick. 

I am thinking of drilling 3/4" hole at each end of slot then route out hole to hole. Then rabbet it out for bolt. Have a freud 1/2" X 1-1/2" - 1/2" shank (12-122) straight bit and a 1-3/8" X 1/2" - 1/2" shank (32-522) rabbeting bit with bearing set.

Is this a good idea and what rpm's would you run for hard wood (have never routed hardwood before). I have the ridgid 2930 combo router.

Thanks, Chris


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

cchowland said:


> Hi,
> 
> Need some help, I recieved a call from work today and have to make filler strip for our rink boards out hard wood (oak) to fit in bottom of zamboni doors (see pic). The plastic one is broken and this is for an outside rink. I have to router a 3/4" slot then rabbet it for a bolt to recess in. The wood is 1" thick.
> 
> ...


Hi Chris - Is your straight bit a plunge bit? I don't see the rabbetting bit helping you much. How wide is the relief for the bolt/washer? Do you have guide bushings available? IMO this is an ideal job for a spiral bit and guide bushing set up


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Chris,

run through this series of videos. (1 to 8)

Just what you want = slot and counterslot.

Woodworking jigs for the router -- Part 6 - YouTube


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Thanks James

great videos,,,I like Ron a lot he cracks me up  but they do made a router bit just for that type of job .see below,, but this is also when the ski jig comes into play.

MLCS Screw Slot Router Bits

==



jw2170 said:


> Chris,
> 
> run through this series of videos. (1 to 8)
> 
> ...


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

bobj3 said:


> Thanks James
> 
> great videos,,,I like Ron a lot he cracks me up  but they do made a router bit just for that type of job .see below,, but this is also when the ski jig comes into play.
> 
> ...


Great find, BJ.

I did not know they made those.

The OP will have to make two passes as he wants a 3/4" slot.


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## gav (Oct 12, 2009)

I rout oak all the time. Just take about 5mm with each pass and maybe around 3/4speed. Shouldn't be a problem. As Bob pointed out, you'll need plunging bits (they have a cutter on the bottom).
I'd use my mortice jig for this.


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## wbh1963 (Oct 11, 2011)

bobj3 said:


> Thanks James
> but they do made a router bit just for that type of job .see below,, but this is also when the ski jig comes into play.
> 
> MLCS Screw Slot Router Bits
> ...


Spiffy bits there BJ. Thanks for the link once again...


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## wbh1963 (Oct 11, 2011)

I cut some slots similar to that in some hardwood flooring scraps to make a jig. In this case, it was Tigerwood, which seems like a softer cutting wood to me than oak.

The only portion of how "I cut the slots" that I would particularly recommend to anyone else is to use a drill press to place the start and stop holes at the end of each slot. I couldn't think of any disadvantages to starting my slots on the drill press, so that's the way I did it.

I used a router table and the slot was for 1/4" bolt shank, with the wide slot cut at 1/2 inch. The stock was 3/4" thick.

I used my drill press to put 9/64 in. starting holes in. Thinking back, I should have used the drill press for the end holes to. It makes it a heck of a lot easier to know when to stop. I just don't like the idea of 'nosing' a workpiece down into a spinning bit on a router table. The workpiece fit smoothly over the 1/4" straight bit as the pilot was over-sized a 64th in the hopes that it would.

I cut the quarter inch slots in two passes, taking 3/8" per slot, which is aggressive, but routing in a table, gravity was working with me, instead of fighting me when it comes to chip evacuation. The small diameter of the cut has a lot to do with being able to take that much out in each pass also. A 3/4" hold produces almost 10 times as much chip mass as a 1/4 hole.

Flipped right side up, with a router in a plunge base, you might have to go as shallow as 1/8" on each pass. You also need to be aware before hand if there are any knots in the area you will be cutting slots in.

For the next step I changed bits to 1/2" in the router table, lowering the bit height back down to 3/8" above the table surface. I used a flat bottom 1/2" bit in the drill press to get a good starting point ready in the slots for the the next run.


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## cchowland (Aug 2, 2011)

Thanks for the help and idea's guys. 

John the bit is a freud (12-122) straight 1/2"dia X 1-1/2" lng double flute 1/2" shank and the other is a freud (32-522) rabbeting 1-3/8"dia X 1/2" thk 1/2" shank with bearing set sizes to do 5/16-1/2" rabeting. The relief or counterslot is approx 1/2" in on all sides or 1-3/4" overall width.

This is why i was thinking of doing slot then routing with the rabbet bit set at 1/2" to follow slot all the way around. Was just going step cut it in.

Chris


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## cchowland (Aug 2, 2011)

But if the other ways are easier and better, i will go that route. Thanks for the links as well Bob and James.

Thanks Again.

Chris


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

I'm fixtured in my router morticer for just such a cut.
Easiest (& often cheap) to cut the counterbore first with a cutter just >washer or bolt head.
Change no settings, but change the cutter to one just >than thread of screw/bolt.
Rout that through slot.
Given no changes the excavations will be centered in legth & width and please the boss.


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