# routing 1x6 with roundover where to start



## rjg202 (Oct 30, 2011)

I need to route a 1x6 and was thinking of using a roundover. Now if it has a bearing should I use and edge guide to get it started on the 6" side to cut 1/2 the width of the bit? The go long side, short, long, then redo again with the bearing against the work piece? I can't figure out where to do the first "cut", whether to cut 2-3 inches in, then back track or use the edge guide. I don't have a table. I assume with the roundovers you can make several passes and the final one the bearing rests on the wood as opposed to doing a single big cut. I know this is trivial but I don't know if I am overthining it. I have read to go left to right and cut the short sides first to reduce splintering.

Thanks


----------



## douter (Nov 11, 2011)

Can you clamp some scrap sacrificial pieces to the long sides and do the ends first? I have no idea how you could use and end guide for this operation and this could be dangerous as I envision what you might be contemplating with this. Left-to right would be correct. If it is a large radius I will usually cut a couple pases adjusting the bit beyond the router baseplate each time until I achieve the desired profile.


----------



## rjg202 (Oct 30, 2011)

douter said:


> Can you clamp some scrap sacrificial pieces to the long sides and do the ends first?


Yes, that is kind of what I was thinking to, to clamp "sacrificial" pieces, can you clarify if it is a large radius you make a couple of passes. Does the bearing not touch the piece on the first few or do you touch the bearing and drop the bit down on each succeesive piece. That is what I am thinking.

back to the sacrificial piece, I guess my question is how to I take that first bite out of the wood. do I push into a sacrificial and go from there or do I come onto the end of the sacrificial piece and let the bearing adjust the distance? Last thing I want is to grap the work piece and fling it or worse yet fling the router out of me. I realize some people will open the box and go at it but that is not me.

thanks


----------



## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

rjg202 said:


> I need to route a 1x6 and was thinking of using a roundover. Now if it has a bearing should I use and edge guide to get it started on the 6" side to cut 1/2 the width of the bit? The go long side, short, long, then redo again with the bearing against the work piece? I can't figure out where to do the first "cut", whether to cut 2-3 inches in, then back track or use the edge guide. I don't have a table. I assume with the roundovers you can make several passes and the final one the bearing rests on the wood as opposed to doing a single big cut. I know this is trivial but I don't know if I am overthining it. I have read to go left to right and cut the short sides first to reduce splintering.
> 
> Thanks


Hi Ray, you are just doing a roundover or are you actually wanting a bullnose (roundover on top and bottom)? 
If just the roundover, you would just need a 3/8"radius roundover bit and use the bearing as a guide. Should be able to do that in one pass. If just doing 3 edges, start on a long edge, do the endgrain and finish the other long edge. The last pass will take care of any tearout. If doing all 4 edges, start on a short (endgrain edge). Subsequent passes will clean up the tearout. 
If you are doing a bullnose, the edge guide would be a better choice as the first cut removes the bearing reference surface for the second, bottom, cut.
Left to right is the correct direction of travel. However, on jobs like this I will go past a corner, re-enter on the next edge a inch or so in and back up to the corner before proceeding. Results in a very short climb cut but helps keep from bobbling the thing making the turn.


----------



## rjg202 (Oct 30, 2011)

I am thinking Roundover since the bottom will be sitting flat. Once I free up in a few hours I will go to HD and get a 1X6 and try a few sample cuts, probably get 2 just in case. Then I will post my finished product in a few days, hopefully.


----------



## rjg202 (Oct 30, 2011)

Ok, my first adventure with using the router was a good one. No flying pieces or injuries. Just lots of sawdust, moreso than I expected. I need to get a dust collection attachment for my shop vac. So the wife liked the 3/8 Classic Cove and Bead look. I think she picked one of the more difficuly ones. Well I put the bit in the fixed base and it was two low for my liking on a test piece. I then readjusted it to almost be flush with recess in baseplate, which I guess is acceptable. So cutting away things were going good. 

Rookie Mistake 1: Never pull router off work piece by pulling straight up, I was like oh crap when I got to the end of the long side, but I did fix it.

Rookie Mistake 2: make sure clamps holding work piece down are clear of base, I got a little swerve in the piece but I did fix it.

Rookie Mistake 3: don't hold onto workpiece in 1 spot to long, I got little indents/burn marks.

So I did fix the issues by regoing over it, but since I had a 6' piece I cut into 2 3' pieces I redid the whole thing. The end grain tearout was manageable and actually sanded up pretty nice, thanks for telling me how to 'climb' and then cut, worked well. One thing I did notice is I had what looked like slivers of thin wood like paper at the top of the piece. I assume my bit was a touch to high or low. As for the speed I put it around I think 18,000 I don't have my book right now. I did get some burn marks on the end grain but sides were good, just a few where I did the climb. Now I am staining, a pic coming later this week. I think I need to get a table now, looking at a craftsman one that had a featherboard. Not sure what I want or I will just make it. But overall a good experience and a sander can fix a lot of little issues. But the sawdust, I could not believe it and my footprints through the house. I am glad this is for a project the wife wanted, that is my defense.

Thanks for the advice.


----------



## douter (Nov 11, 2011)

*reply to 1x6 roundover*

As you rout with a shallow depth, the entire radius will not be completed so by adjusting downward, more of the radius is created.


----------



## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Someone here has a signature about a good carpenter is someone who can fix his mistakes and make them look good, something to that affect.

If you can realize your mistakes and fix them, that's good. How to go!

Making a dry run is a big help as you will come across clamps in the way/not tight, trip hazards with cords/obstacles, lighting, etc.. It might save a fix it job on the wood or on the flesh.


----------

