# Rounder corners



## ronster (Apr 8, 2011)

Hi. I am Very new to using a router and would appreciate any guidance you could give me. I am building a ramp for my handicapped dog (so am I but I can walk with the aid of leg braces). It consists of two long 1" wide x 72" long x 6" high wood for the sides. Inside those pieces, I have placed smaller lengths of wood and intend to lay pieces of plywood sheeting along them. Then it is a simple matter to carpet it and then he can use it to reach the bed.

I have used a rounding bit along both sides of the top of the long pieces, but want to round the top corner edges while rounding it at the same time. That way, I will not have a sharp corner poking up there.

The problem? Since the ends of those long pieces are 90 degrees, how do I knock down the corners so I may round them also?

Is it that I need to use a different technique, or a different bit? (btw, I am a retired computer engineer and am having to learn how to use my hands on something other than a keyboard).

Thank you and I appreciate your time here... Ron.


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## mpbc48 (Sep 17, 2010)

Welcome Ron,

If I'm understanding your question, you want to route the end grain of your pieces?

You can use the same bit for that. You will need to support the 6 foot board to route the ends though. End grain routing on material that long can be a challenge.

Mike


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

Hi Ron,
You should be able to follow along all edges to round them over. If you are worried about tearout on the end grain then route this first then route along the grain second to eliminate the tearout.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Ron,

If I understand your question correctly, you want to round the corner where the side transitions from 72" in length to 6" in width sp you do not end up with a corner at the bottom and top of the ramp. The issue keeping the router from tipping while the base is only supported by the 1" wide board.

One way to get there would be to sandwich them together between two or more pieces of 2x or 4x scrap with the corner where the 72" and the 6" carefully aligned. Assimong your 1" stock was actually 0.75" thich, the 2x stock was actually 1.5" thick and you used 2 pieces of 2x on each side of your edges, you'd be rounding over the middle-end of a sandwich that is 1.5" [2x scrap] + 1.5" [2x scrap] + 0.75" [left ramp side] + 0.75" [right ramp side] + 1.5" [2x scrap] + 1.5" [2x scrap] = 7.5" wide. This would give you a steady base for the router.

These could be clamped or screwed together temporarily, for the cut.

By doing one end at a time, the lengths of the scrap won't matter.

Jim


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## RJM (Apr 11, 2010)

Clamping a 2x4 between the two boards is a good idea. I think a 6 ft long is all you need. Lay the two 6 ft log 1x6 on the (flat) ground on edge and put the 2x4 in the middle (see picture). This will set the top of the 2x4, two inches below the top of the 1x6. You could then round over the edges of each board individually, one after the other. Red line shows router movement (I think the direction I show is backwards). This will round off the top 4 edges of each board but here's a better suggestion. Use a template to put a large radius on all 4 corners of each 1x6 then round over the edges all the way around on both sides.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

I would go with the 2nd.way, just pull the saw horses out in the drive way, clamp the boards down and go round the boards..quick and easy job.. 

===


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## ronster (Apr 8, 2011)

Thank you for responding. You are right about my wanting to round off the ends. I guess my real question is not how to hold the wood down but, how do I turn a 90 degree sharp corner into the rounded corner I want. I can't figure how to turn the corner at the end of the wood.

Maybe I'm not being clear. I will attach a photo I took today, after I am on my laptop in the morning. I have a brand new Apple iPad 2 and, like a kid with a new toy, am spending waaay too much time fooling with it.

Thank you so much...Ron


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

_I have used a rounding bit along both sides of the top of the long pieces, but want to round the top corner edges while rounding it at the same time. That way, I will not have a sharp corner poking up there.

The problem? Since the ends of those long pieces are 90 degrees, how do I knock down the corners so I may round them also?_


If you only need a very small radius, clamping your boards into a sandwich will work. However, it sounds like you are using a small rounding bit. If you want more radius then you have 2 choices ( at the least) and will depend on skill level and your tools. The easiest way is to cut a 45 degree corner with a saw and then roundover. If you are dead-set on a rounded corner, then find something round that is the radius you are looking for and trace it on the corners. Then cut those with a jigsaw or coping saw and smooth the roughness down with a sander or by hand.


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## The Warthog (Nov 29, 2010)

I considered the same sort of project for my dog, who suffers from arthritis. I thought she would handle steps better than a ramp, though. As it is, I'm training her to sleep somewhere else.


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## Cochese (Jan 12, 2010)

I don't know if I read the question correctly, but why not rout the vertical component of that corner first, then do the horizontal section like you wanted to. Instead of following the 90 corner, the bearing would follow the rounded corner and make a smooth transition.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

Just one more easy way, let the router bit do most of the work,clip off the sharp corners on the boards, clamp them up as a pair with a backer board after the clip job on the ends, chuck up a big round over bit in the router table and pass the boards by the bit on the edge side of the stock,it will round over the ends quick and easy and they will all be the same..

Than chuck up a 1/2" round over bit in your hand router and go all the way around the boards...

This is a tip from Bob R. and Rick R. of the RWS that they use all the time 
====


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## ronster (Apr 8, 2011)

I'm sorry she could'nt navigate the ramp. Ludwig, my Doxie has used one to come in to the house for 2 years. And, I have another ramp, this one for my wheelchair.

I routed a test corner before and wound up burning it because I could'nt control the router. I am very new to woodworking and thus lack the necessary hand skills.

I think I'm going to spring for a router table. I don't know if you have any suggestions. I have a DeWalt 616. Do they make a table that can double as a table saw. (see I told you I'm new at this). 

Anyway, since I have already routed both sides, I'm just putting it together like that. I can always have my neighbor haul it back outside if I figure a future solution.

Thanks a lot for your suggestions...R


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