# bits with bearing



## _fernando_ (Mar 3, 2014)

Other than flush trimming bit, please tell me how do you use the Bearing in a router table.
thank you in advance


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

fernandito said:


> Other than flush trimming bit, please tell me how do you use the Bearing in a router table.
> thank you in advance


edge following...
pattern following...
cutting chamfers..
edge forming..
cutting rabbets...
cutting fillets..

Router Bit Basics - Common Types of Router Bit / Rockler How-to


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

more..

Router Bearings Presented by Woodcraft - YouTube

http://www.shopnotes.com/files/issues/sample/sample-08-09.pdf

How to use a router bit bearing


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

The Bearing on a trim bit is a fence on the bit no less no more..

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fernandito said:


> Other than flush trimming bit, please tell me how do you use the Bearing in a router table.
> thank you in advance


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> The Bearing on a trim bit is a fence on the bit no less no more..
> 
> ===


Now that is an interesting perspective!


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

bobj3 said:


> The Bearing on a trim bit is a fence on the bit no less no more..
> 
> ===


Very perceptive, BJ.

I like it...


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## Selwyn Senior (Jan 11, 2014)

*Bits with bearings*

BJ has nailed it in as few words as possible. I like it.

I used bits with bearings yesterday to create a decorative edge on a karate belt display unit. The sections are circular and the bearing followed the edge while the Roman Ogee bit cut the edge design.


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## _fernando_ (Mar 3, 2014)

sorry folks, in all answers I detect a strong desire to sound smart rather than to help, please read again my question where I ask: "how"
I know this will get me in trouble but let's see:
-edge following...
pattern following...
cutting chamfers..
edge forming..
cutting rabbets...
cutting fillets..

-The Bearing on a trim bit is a fence on the bit no less no more.. ( I said: other than flush trimming bit )

-Now that is an interesting perspective!

-Very perceptive, BJ.

-BJ has nailed it in as few words as possible. I like it.

honestly, all those answers don't do much for my "how" question. If you don't agree please don't start an argument that would get us nowhere, just disregard this message but I would appreciate very much any answer that would actually help me.
as always, thank you in advance


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

did you open the links???
did you see this thread???

New Yankee Workshop router tutorial...

tons of how to...

http://isearch.avg.com/search?q=how%20to%20use%20a%20woodworking%20router&pid=avg&sg=0&cid={2ff15110-d1cf-451e-bef1-7e4a68abebe2}&mid=9567270cb46e47d194096939b2aa32a6-afbcacc243075076fa2f750a34b57ac74d4330e4&ds=&coid=&cmpid=&v=18.0.0.248&lang=&pr=&d=2014-03-2%208%3A54%3A16&sap=nt&snd=hp&sap_acp=0

with all the links and YouTube if you still don't how... sell or give away your router...


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## curly1 (May 7, 2010)

*use of bearings*

I"ll try, first any bit that has a bearing can be used freehand or on a table, you can consider it as fence of sorts that gives you the full width of cut of that particular bit or when used on table with a fence you can adjust or isolate the bearing to vary the width of the cut, the depth of course is controlled by the height of the bit that you set by the router adj., but the most important thing about a bearing to my mind is when you use it on a table with no fence but using a pin in the table to router edges of irregular shapes, the bearing is like a stop or a rest to put your wood against along with the pin. There are videos on youtube showing how to use a pin in a router table. safe routering


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## _fernando_ (Mar 3, 2014)

I think we're almost there Dan, when using a router with or without bearing, one can go down making partial cuts until finally the whole cut is achieved, the same happens when isolating the bearing in a router table, and so far, that's what more or less I understood.
But now you are telling me what really answers my question and that is taking away the fence and and use a guiding pin, which brings me to a couple of questions.
Is it absolutly necessary to use the pin or could you just press the Wood against the bit and the pin is just a safety measure, in any case I'm going to look into this pin thing and get one in my table, i'll just have to figure out where to place it in relation to the bit, it shouldn't be so difficult
with this method of the "no fence" routing, does it mean you have to cut the whole depth of the bit in one pass? ( I think you already adressed this in you message, I just want to make it clear.
I thank you very much for the help.
let me just add a thought of Sir Issac Newton that says: " I keep the subject of my inquiry constanly before me, and wait till the first dawning opens gradually, by little and Little, into a full and clear light"
Unfortunatly in my case that first dawning doesn't come as fast as i wish it did, but just imagine a teacher telling his pupil: " If after all I've been telling you, you don't understand, kill yourself " to which maybe Newton would come out of his grave saying, whoa, chill out!, not everybody is as smart as "you think" you are!


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Cleverness is serviceable for everything, sufficient for nothing.
- Henri Frederic Amiel


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## Selwyn Senior (Jan 11, 2014)

*Hmmmmmmmmm*


question is asked

several members read the question and respond
all answers seem to interpret the question the same way
original poster states that the answers are the problem
makes one wonder if the answers or the clarity of the question is the issue

HMMMMMMMMM!


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## malb (Sep 15, 2008)

If you are working a straight edge on the material, it is easiest to set the fence faces flush with the bearing and run the work against the fence.

If the working with a complex external shape, move the fence away, and use a starting pin. Without the pin, there is considerable danger of the bit grabbing the work as it approaches it, and throwing it away, and dragging your left hand back into the bit. 

With a starting pin mounted about 1-1.5 inches on the infeed side of the bit, you position the work so the start of the cut is aligned with the bit but the work is angled away from the bit and in contact with the starting pin. The left hand keeps the work in contact with the pin while the right hand pivots the work into the bit to start the cut. Once the cut is established, the work is pivoted on the bearing to move away from the pin and allow clearance between pin and work so that they do not clash during the cut. This technique gives you mechanical advantage (leverage) to counter the bit grabbing the work at the start of the cut, and ensures that your hands ore on the safe side of the bit in the event that the work is grabbed and thrown.

The method has been shown in a lot of videos.


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## RickPr (Jan 16, 2012)

*Router Pin video*

A very short video that may help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sDHctfXS1M 

Rick


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

malb said:


> If the working with a complex external shape, move the fence away, and use a starting pin. Without the pin, there is considerable danger of the bit grabbing the work as it approaches it, and throwing it away, and dragging your left hand back into the bit.


Interesting. I often rout pretty complex external shapes, don't have a starting pin, and have no problems. Of course, I feel it helps immensely that my masters/templates are two layers of 1/2" plywood glued together, and I mostly work with 1/2" plywood. At 1 1/2" thick, gives a nice amount of heft to hold onto. 

I'll see if I can find a picture or two of the types of shapes I normally rout. The first is for the figure banks I make, it is about 7" tall. I have also reduced the size on those, to make paperweights, and they will be about 3" tall. The next two are prototype canes I made. The last is patterns for future canes. The pictures for my buzzard series, grumpy fish, grumpy turtle, and several others is on my PC, which crashed recently and has not yet been repaired.


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## _fernando_ (Mar 3, 2014)

malb said:


> If you are working a straight edge on the material, it is easiest to set the fence faces flush with the bearing and run the work against the fence.
> 
> 
> im confused with this. if the diameter of the cutting edge is the same as the diameter of the bearing, running the work against the fence will even touch the Wood?


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## malb (Sep 15, 2008)

fernandito;378117
im confused with this. if the diameter of the cutting edge is the same as the diameter of the bearing said:


> Correct. if the bearing and the bit have the same diameter, and the bearing is aligned to be flush with the fence, the bit would barely make contact, or not make contact with the work.
> 
> BUT in your first post that initiated the thread you asked about bearings on "*other than flush trimming bits*". There are three classes of bearinged bit where the bearing has the same diameter as the bit, flush trim bits with a bearing at the tip, pattern following bits with a bearing on the shank, and dual bearing bits with bearings on the shank and tip. These will all cut flush to a pattern or template.
> 
> ...


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## John Bradshaw (Sep 12, 2010)

Thanks for the advice on router bits. I will print and save and reference.

John


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