# router bit for use with skis to thickness wood



## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

Harry, Bobj3, Hamlin and the rest of you ski users...

After seeing Harry's post a little while back where he made a nifty clock and did the thicknessing of the stock with his router and ski jig I decided that might be something I'd like to have in my bag of tricks.

So besides the building of the jig part (and there are lots of references to designs here in the forum, so that is no great problem), what are you guys using for a bit when thicknessing material this way?

Would this kind of bit be useful?
http://cgi.ebay.com/1-pc-1-2-SH-1-3...50386QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262
(In case the link does work, it is a 1/2" shank, 1-3/4" diameter bottom cleaning bit).

I don't have one, the largest thing I have with a flat bottom would be a 3/4" straight cutter. But that seems like it could take a long while.

After the first of the year I'd like to get going on some cabinet doors in cherry but I lack a planer. The joining of edges can handle with the table saw and the router with bit and fence. But I'd not too keen on re-sawing a lot of material with the table saw to get from 4/4 down to 3/4. It seems that a sacrificial top of particle board, cleats on all four sides of a rough-cut workpiece and where necessary shims underneath to get one side flat (surface jointing operation) I could get it all done with the router and a ski jig.

Your thoughts? (And I will be saving up for a benchtop planer in the future as well as some good hand planes)


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI rwyoung

I will pass on this one I don't use the ski jig to mill the boards down..

Harry and Mike have and should see your post..

But I should say have done it on the router table  and the bit below will work fine 


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rwyoung said:


> Harry, Bobj3, Hamlin and the rest of you ski users...
> 
> After seeing Harry's post a little while back where he made a nifty clock and did the thicknessing of the stock with his router and ski jig I decided that might be something I'd like to have in my bag of tricks.
> 
> ...


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

bobj3 said:


> HI rwyoung
> 
> I will pass on this one I don't use the ski jig to mill the boards down..
> 
> ...


Great. By the way, on your series of glowing recommendations for the eBay guy I bought a few bits to "play" with. I got a nice table edge with thumbnail, a drawer lock, a 3" long straight cutter with bearing (more edge jointing experiments, perhaps even some face jointing of narrow boards?) and a panel raising bit with back cutter. The panel raising bit I got with my set doesn't have a back cutter. What I did for a few practice runs was make a quick, shallow pass on the back before finishing the face side. Sorta approximates what a back cutter will do but obviously more work. 

Got the bits and the dude gave me great service. But just too many things going on right now to go play.


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

*Skis to thickness wood*



bobj3 said:


> HI rwyoung
> 
> I will pass on this one I don't use the ski jig to mill the boards down..
> 
> ...


Bob
What happens when the material has a slight twist to it? This is where the skis come in handy.
Tom


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Tom

That's true, but most of the time it's short boards ( timber ) that most wood workers use...
I think it comes down to, you can't make a silk purse out of a cows ear thing.,,.junk in junk out.. 

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template tom said:


> Bob
> What happens when the material has a slight twist to it? This is where the skis come in handy.
> Tom


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

The cutter you refer to is ideal, better in fact than normal straight cutters that I often use. The fact that you enter the wood from a side, as distinct from plunging, gives a clean cut, no burning. Just like you have suggested, I use shims to keep the wood firmly on the bench without any wobble because of uneven thickness.
For twisted wood no wider than 6", I use the jointer to get one flat surface then through the planer for the second side. As Bj mentioned, putting a banana shaped piece into the planer will simply give you a thinner banana out!
Once you try the skis you will become hooked on them, not of course for every job, but for jobs that would be difficult or even impossible by other means..Happy skiing.


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

Yeah, I was planning to stay away from the banana shaped wood. In fact, any piece that more resembles fruit than straight stock would be shuffled to the bottom of the pile...

My plan was to cross-cut and rip the stock to near finish length and width, then use the router/ski/bottom cleaning bit to finish things down to the 3/4 thickness for face frames, rails, stiles and panel glue-ups. This keeps the working sizes down to something that seems reasonable.

Anyway, at the very least, in the end I'll have a ski jig to experiment with!

What I have is time, what I don't have is the money for a jointer and power planer...


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## captain38 (Dec 23, 2008)

Hello rwyoung and harry and all others that have made skis. Question...I just went to the local fastenal and they didn't have what I needed (or so I thought) Where did y'all get your dowels at?


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

BobJ3 pointed me at some heavy ACME thread rod from McMaster-Carr.

Here is what I ordered :

qty 2 P/N 98940A615 4140 Alloy Steel Precision Acme Threaded Rod 3/8"-12 Sz, 1/12" Travel Distance/Turn, 3'L, Rh Thread (Same as 98940A281) $23.74 each

qty 8 P/N 94815A106 Plain Steel Acme 2G Hex Nut Right-Hand, 3/8"-12 Acme Size $2.21

qty 1 P/N 91090A112 Zinc-Plated Steel Large-OD Flat Washer 3/8" Screw Size, 13/32" ID, 1" OD, .043"-.063" Thk, $6.17 per box of 100

This totals up to a little more than $70. But after getting it put together last night, I have much less flex than before. The flex issue now seems to be not that the rod is flexing but that it is able to push the ski bases to their edges and this make the router dip. Again, this isn't something you would be doing while moving the skis around. And I can have the skis much further apart than I could with the craptaclular truss rod so the jigs capacity is increased.

I have on my list of things to try making an end-grain cutting boad so this seems to be a perfect jig for flattening the board should I have any glue-up issues. Also a good way to mill down small pieces.


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## captain38 (Dec 23, 2008)

thanks rwyoung...very insightful.
I too am planning on making an end grain cutting board. I wondered if the threaded rods would be tough to work with. It seems like it might be hard to get it perfectly level...i.e. if you tightened down on top of a thread and then on the other side you tightened down in the valley of the thread you wouldn't be even. Have you ever run into these problems?


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

captain38 said:


> thanks rwyoung...very insightful.
> I too am planning on making an end grain cutting board. I wondered if the threaded rods would be tough to work with. It seems like it might be hard to get it perfectly level...i.e. if you tightened down on top of a thread and then on the other side you tightened down in the valley of the thread you wouldn't be even. Have you ever run into these problems?


I used what I knew to be a level block of wood. You could save yourself some MDF cut-offs, say a couple of 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 thick pieces. I used a 3/4 and 1/2 piece stacked to make 1-1/4. Then with the bit retracted (plunge base) I rested the router base on the stack. Now I fiddle with the skis and nuts and bolts until everything is resting nice and level on the table. Remove the stack of wood and you are done.

The idea with the stack of wood is that it be only a little taller than your full height material. 

This was when I was using a 3/4" cutter. Now I have a 1-3/4" cutter which of course will NOT pass through the router base plate. Two choices, one is remove the base plate since it isn't necessary for this operation (could this be a safety issue, I'm not sure but somebody may chime in). Or I get (make) an extra base with a larger hole.


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

The ready made trend skii I showed in another thread has a different system for the height adjustment, it seems to me the slots may be a PITA to get all level. On the ready made you just add or subtract different width spacers to raise and lower. Of course it is not made to go as high the way it is, but it is another method that could be employed that is accurate.

I think something like that or a rack and pinion or another method different from the open slots could accommodate a faster and more precise way to raise and lower the rods.

Does anyone have a picture of one that uses something like that, not just open slots?

If I ever get time I may try some ideas I have, but would love to see if someone has already done it.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi guys

This what I suggest you do if you use the ski jig to plane down stock..

You have the two rods at the bottom,,if you want to take out the drop/slop just add two rods at the top of the skis...that would give you the support you need ,see below...


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

*Ski Mode*



nickao65 said:


> The ready made trend skii I showed in another thread has a different system for the height adjustment, it seems to me the slots may be a PITA to get all level. On the ready made you just add or subtract different width spacers to raise and lower. Of course it is not made to go as high the way it is, but it is another method that could be employed that is accurate.
> 
> I think something like that or a rack and pinion or another method different from the open slots could accommodate a faster and more precise way to raise and lower the rods.
> 
> ...


Nickao

Well you asked for it
Here is a copy of my second set of ski modes that were made some 12 years ago and I still have them though I do not use them as much. They certainly had some advantages, easily adjusting to height etc. (Just imagine if I had sent this up to the forum, and not my recent design that everyone is making)

Tom


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Irrespective of the type of ski used, the only accurate way to set the router level is by measuring the height of each corner. I've tried sitting a couple of pieces of MDF on top of the work piece/template and sitting the router on top then lowering the end cheeks, the results were not consistent. This is how I do it, it's fast, simple and repeat ably accurate.


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## captain38 (Dec 23, 2008)

Alright...well all sorts of ideas on how to get a nice level. Template Tom, that looks like a pretty great idea it would be really great to come up with a measurement device of sorts in each corner to make it really easy to get to being level. All great ideas...now, to find the time to go ahead and make my own.


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

Harry if the spacers are all accurate and the same at each corner you do not need to measure, that is my point, it will be the same height. The spacers are the measuring device themselves. 1/2 " spacer in each corner will be a 1/2" raise, it can not be off unless your entire ski is out of whack and not level to begin with at its zero setting. With the open slots yes, you have to measure. 

My wish is to see if anyone developed a system where you did not have to measure each corner every time and the spacers do work and work well, I have them in 1 mm increments and larger. I was wondering if anyone else employed a different method, rack and pinion, etc..

Thanks Tom that looks pretty neat.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

I'll take 2 strips of like sized wood and place them under teach end of the base, on the bench. There is no need to do each corner individually. If I wanted super accuracy, I would have a surface plate work surface, and use gauge blocks.


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

Yes that is a great idea. its like using set up blocks. 

I was looking more for examples of mechanical solutions built into the skii itself.


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## Ned B (Feb 14, 2009)

captain38 said:


> thanks rwyoung...very insightful.
> I too am planning on making an end grain cutting board. I wondered if the threaded rods would be tough to work with. It seems like it might be hard to get it perfectly level...i.e. if you tightened down on top of a thread and then on the other side you tightened down in the valley of the thread you wouldn't be even. Have you ever run into these problems?


Your mileage may vary, but I've been on an end grain cutting board spree, and found that simply by adding a pair of sacrificial boards glued onto the end grain workpiece, I could run them through my planer taking very little material off with each pass.


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