# Routing a semi circle top for a picket fence



## village (Jun 13, 2008)

Hello all, 

I am building a picket fence about 200 feet and would like to round the top of each in a semi circle shape. How can i do this on a router table or with a hand held router. 

ANy help much appreciated

Matt


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Matt

I think the band saw would do the job alot easyer.. and quicker
BUT if you don't have a band saw the router table can do it also..
But you will need top make a easy to make pivot jig..

It will work on the band saw or the router table..
It would look something like a lazzy susan jig..

That's to say the fence picket would sit on the top part of the jig and the base of the susan jig would be clamped to the table top,,, it that way you would pop in the fence picket and just turn it by the blade or bit..200 would take a bit of time but they would be all the same...

If you need any help with the jig just ask  ..

NOTE****
If you don't have a band saw just mount your jig saw in your router table, it will make a quick job of the 200 you need to do... 


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## village (Jun 13, 2008)

That great thanks for the help. 

So basically the jig is 2 pieces of wood pivotted with a dowell. I clamp the bottom to the router table and then the picket to the moveable top. Whats the easiest wasy to clamp in the pickets to the top of the jig so it doesnt take me too much time to move betwen pickets. The pickets are 1x6 cedar will i be able to make one pass and cut through slowly or will multiple passes be required. Also what bit would be best to use. Cheers Matt


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Matt

You got it ,,, the side boards on the one part of the jig should hold the pickets in place by the holding them down with your hand and the force of the cam action by having two side boards holding them in place....like I said the band saw would be best because the pulling force is going down, but the router should work but you will need to keep the presser down with you hand , you could put on a cam holding clamp device if you don't want to hold it by hand.. a quick snap down and it's locked in place ,,

I would use a standard strait router bit and make the cut in one pass, most pickets are 1/2" TO 3/4" thick and soft wood ...

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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Another method which would take a bit of time to set up but be much faster in use is to build a template from a 4' wide section of masonite.(hardboard) Once you cut the shape for multiple pickets on the edge you would fasten it to your fence with two clamps and cut the shape on 4' wide sections at a time. As long as you have a chaulk line snapped to indicate the level for the length of the fence set up should be quick and easy.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Mike

You lost me on that one, how about a small dawing....



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Mike said:


> Another method which would take a bit of time to set up but be much faster in use is to build a template from a 4' wide section of masonite.(hardboard) Once you cut the shape for multiple pickets on the edge you would fasten it to your fence with two clamps and cut the shape on 4' wide sections at a time. As long as you have a chaulk line snapped to indicate the level for the length of the fence set up should be quick and easy.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I'm sure the way that I would go about it would be to make a simple template out of a scrap piece of MDF by making it the same width as the pickets, now draw the curve and cut round it with whatever type of saw you have. You now have a piece of MDF the width of the pickets and it's length is unimportant,six inches would be fine, now with a couple of panel pins attach the template to each picket in turn and using a bearing cutter in the table simply rout around them. I would have a fence or pin in place to guide the wood into the cutter. It would of course reduce the amount of routing if you first remove most of the waste by whatever means you have available.+

Even I became a little confused reading my own post, so here is a quick photo-shoot which will make it crystal clear.


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## chippypah (Dec 24, 2007)

Great pictures Harry, pictures are worth a 1000 words and are so much easer to follow. Also great to see equipment with dust on it, as it shows that it was used to produce the end result.
Cheers
Pete


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## karateed (Feb 7, 2006)

Wow Harry, you're good....every thing from foot sanding to picket fence production. Very nice indeed & good foto shoot.

Ed......


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Thanks Ed., unlike the odd member, I really can do most if not all the things that I comment on and have never shied away from proving it. Theory and pretty illustrated books have their place, but years of practical experience can't be beaten.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

You'er Welcome village

I did add a snapshot of one more way to get the job done quick with your jig saw...the router is a great tool but sometimes the blade is the way to go.. 




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village said:


> That great thanks for the help.
> 
> So basically the jig is 2 pieces of wood pivotted with a dowell. I clamp the bottom to the router table and then the picket to the moveable top. Whats the easiest wasy to clamp in the pickets to the top of the jig so it doesnt take me too much time to move betwen pickets. The pickets are 1x6 cedar will i be able to make one pass and cut through slowly or will multiple passes be required. Also what bit would be best to use. Cheers Matt


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Bj, quite often you "edit" your posts by making them totally different, why not just make a new post and leave the original one intact so that we have a continuous thread?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Harry

Thanks for the tip but I like the way I do it.. 

It keeps the post new in a small way...
And most of the time it's not worth a new post for just one picture..


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harrysin said:


> Bj, quite often you "edit" your posts by making them totally different, why not just make a new post and leave the original one intact so that we have a continuous thread?


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## village (Jun 13, 2008)

Thanks ever so much , those pictures explain it perfectly. The tools are out and ready ill give it a go tonight. Only 200 to go!!

Thanks guys.

Matt


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Matt

You'er Welcome for my small part.... I'm SORRY for making something so easy so hard... 
After all we are talking about a fence picket  

I would suggest grab your hand jig saw and a pencil , cut the 1st one the way you want it to look then use it for the pattern for the rest of the 200 pickets...just mark it and cut away...I'm almost sure you can knock out 200 of them in a hour or so...after all it's just a fence picket.. 

The right tool for the right job, and that's what the jig saw is for...
Plus the router is not made to be a rip saw......or a cut off tool...
By the way it doesn't need to be a 200.oo dollar jig saw a cheap 10.oo dollar jig saw will do the job just fine, just something that moves the blade up and down..  ,,,, low tech suff...



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village said:


> Thanks ever so much , those pictures explain it perfectly. The tools are out and ready ill give it a go tonight. Only 200 to go!!
> 
> Thanks guys.
> 
> Matt


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## CowCreek (May 30, 2009)

*Which bit is best?*

I plan to make custom picket tops as well, and wonder which bit would work best. I intend to use a table and a template like you show, but mine will be the full length of the picket to keep the length consistent as well. The top will be somewhat elaborate with several curves and shapes. Which would be better, pattern on top, or pattern on bottom? Upshear, or Downshear? I'd think a smaller diameter cutter would be quicker and easier, but the shape doesn't prohibit a 1/2 diameter. I'd like to put dust collection on this set-up as well. And did I mention the pickets will be 1x4 cedar, and I estimate that there will be about 1,600 of them?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi CowCreek

I would suggest using the bit below with your template on top and using a pin nailer to hold the pair in place, if you are going to make 1600 you will need a bit that will stand up to the job,,,,dust pickup,most routers come with vac.pickup tube that you can hook on to the router on under side of the table top,most of the chips will be sucked down the hole but not all...
With a starter pin it should be fine but a big job, one by one thing.

Spiral Flush Trim Router Bit 1/2", #7399
MLCS solid carbide router bits

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CowCreek said:


> I plan to make custom picket tops as well, and wonder which bit would work best. I intend to use a table and a template like you show, but mine will be the full length of the picket to keep the length consistent as well. The top will be somewhat elaborate with several curves and shapes. Which would be better, pattern on top, or pattern on bottom? Upshear, or Downshear? I'd think a smaller diameter cutter would be quicker and easier, but the shape doesn't prohibit a 1/2 diameter. I'd like to put dust collection on this set-up as well. And did I mention the pickets will be 1x4 cedar, and I estimate that there will be about 1,600 of them?


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

A drawing with measurements would make it easy to give you a definitive answer and a little of your history and first name would be appreciated, many of us shy away from answering questions from anonymous members.


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## CowCreek (May 30, 2009)

I see you've recommended an up-cut spiral bit. I've never used a spiral bit, is "up-cut" throwing chips at the router or away from the router. My setup is a PC 7518 mounted to a BenchDog ProMax cast iron extension to my table saw and it has the ProLift mount. What RPM should I run?
David


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi David

" The 2 flute solid carbide spiral bits have two ball bearing guides. 
Great for use where chip-out is a concern with plywood, melamine or other laminate surfaces. 
Downcut bit is for hand held router applications. 
Upcut bit is for table mounted router applications."

Run the bit at full speed.it's made to do the work and a clean cut at full speed..

I also like to use the bit below 
http://www.sommerfeldtools.com/prodinfo.asp?number=521902B
http://www.sommerfeldtools.com/prodinfo.asp?number=521902A
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