# Help routing end grain w/o tear-out in circular shape



## cjtboy (Dec 21, 2013)

Hello-

I am still new to routing, so any help on this topic would be great!

Basically, as you can see in the pic, I got some nasty tear-out (a couple chunks) from the end grain portion of the bottom of a cutting board paddle. The wood in question is walnut, but guessing this is more a technique thing vs. wood related.

So, I was using my router table, with a brand new upcut spiral flush trim bit (MLCS bit). All was going well, feeding in the right direction (right to left). Once I got to this rounded portion, I got through one side fine (as it was going with the grain), but the other side of the semi-circle kicked back a few times. I tried even lighter passes, and a few different angles of approach to the bit, but it was just ripping into the wood as you can see. I did not try the 'up-cut' direction, after reading this wasn't a good idea in general.

For now, I just plan to cut off the messed up piece and reshape by hand, but I am making several more like this and am hoping to avoid the tear-out issues.

Please let me know, and many thanks!


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Chris, if you cut the end and one side, then attach your pattern to the other side of the material you should be able to finish with no problems. Something else that helps is to make a scoring cut every inch or so. Think serrated edge like a knife... little scallops out of the material and then make your pass.

You really should be using a bit guard for this operation. If you build the VacGuard you will eliminate a lot of your clean up. At the least build a bit guard like the one Rick designed for the Router Workshop. Either one is just clamped in place.


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## cjtboy (Dec 21, 2013)

Thanks, Mike-

Your response is very helpful (as always!). I will give that a try.

Appreciate the tip on the VacGuard, I actually just bookmarked your post on this over the weekend. Definitely on the list to do.

thanks again,
chris


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I agree that you don't want to climb cut if you can help it but this may be a case where you don't have a choice. First I would try pre cutting with a saw as close as possible to the line and if that still isn't good enough I would try going the wrong way when you get to the problem area but only in about 1/4" to 1/2" long bites. I would use the fence as a starting guide or clamp a board up to the bit and keep making small "grazing" passes until you are past the problem area.


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## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

Chris there is nothing wrong with your template or your cutter set up, the break out has happened because you were cutting into the end grain, this was due to the shape of your work piece, when you cut up one side then you are cutting along and down the grain but when you came over the crest and down the other side then you would be cutting directly into the end grain and that cannot be done, try to cut that end grain part backwards, and because you are then going in the wrong direction then you have to do that very carefully and not take big cuts out or go fast, when I have to do that then I take small bites out and I keep a very good grip on it as it can catch, it is unusual to have this problem but it is due to the circular shape of your work piece and that shape means that on one side your are cutting correctly but on the other side you are not, you are doing it the exact way that I would do it, you just have to do that end gran portion backwards and slowly, once you have the bulk of the waste gone then you should be able to do a fine clean up cut in the correct direction, use all care when you do this. Neville


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## Leifs1 (Dec 16, 2009)

Hi Chris
Just to illustrate what Mike says. Look at my drawing you can se that you are going against the grain in several Places. Route from 1 to 2 and from 3 to 4. Then turn your workpice over and reattach your template to the other side an route the rest. Or you can route in the direction of the arrows but be carefull when going in the wrong direction.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Chris,

How much material were you removing during the cut? sometimes when I route red oak it will chunk out if I am taking off much more than an 1/8" of material.


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## majnun (Nov 28, 2013)

I run into this a lot when I make curved legs. A couple of ideas: you can get a bit with the bearing on top, near the collet, and feed the router in the opposite direction. You can try a climb cut which is risky. You can lose control of the router. Or you can use a little inexpensive gadget called a Microplane. It is a cylindrical version of a Surform. They don't last long. They don't cost much either. But I can cut fancy shapes out of 6/4 mahogany or Padouk without tear out.


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## BOjr (Dec 1, 2012)

There is one more option. It's called an up down compression bit. The big problem is that they are expensive, around $150.

Buck


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## bcfunburst (Jan 14, 2012)

I am in total agreement with previous comments about direction of cutting. I only wonder why you want to use walnut for cutting boards. Walnut can transfer a very bitter taste to some foods. Maple makes WAY better cutting boards.


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## cjtboy (Dec 21, 2013)

kp91 said:


> Chris,
> 
> How much material were you removing during the cut? sometimes when I route red oak it will chunk out if I am taking off much more than an 1/8" of material.


Good question - in a few places in the question area it was getting close to 1/8" if not a hair over. I use a shared work space and the bandsaw has been way out of tune of late (hoping they fix this soon), so hard to get super close to the line, especially around the curved piece.


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## cjtboy (Dec 21, 2013)

bcfunburst said:


> I am in total agreement with previous comments about direction of cutting. I only wonder why you want to use walnut for cutting boards. Walnut can transfer a very bitter taste to some foods. Maple makes WAY better cutting boards.


Hi Reg-

thanks for the response. Walnut works just fine in cutting boards for me, and many others. I do also use Maple for sure (this one is 2 boards maple, one walnut). This board is more a cheese tray/bread board type cutting board, not really meant for super heavy use...


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## cjtboy (Dec 21, 2013)

Thanks for all the tips and images, very helpful and help me make sense of what is going wrong. I am going to these ideas again soon, paying closer attention to the grain direction in the circular section.

I am learning a lot these days - mostly thanks to this forum!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi chris

the climb cut will do the job just fine but you don't want to mill off more than 3/16" of stock in one pass.

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cjtboy said:


> Hello-
> 
> I am still new to routing, so any help on this topic would be great!
> 
> ...


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

If you are having trouble getting your band saw to track you should watch this.Band Saw Clinic with Alex Snodgrass - YouTube


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