# Making a large tray



## dbos1254 (Oct 30, 2009)

I want to make a wooden tray that is roughly 12 x 24 inches. I want to hog out about 1/2 inch for the tray. What is the best way to do this? I lose router base support. I have a Bosch 1617 plunge router.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

dbos1254 said:


> I want to make a wooden tray that is roughly 12 x 24 inches. I want to hog out about 1/2 inch for the tray. What is the best way to do this? I lose router base support. I have a Bosch 1617 plunge router.


I'd make a pattern about 15X30 from 1/2" MDF. transfer the inside dimension of the cut out on the slab of wood that will be the tray. This piece should be about 15X30, also. Using your transferred line as a guide, hog out the interior with a series of Forstner bits. Getting within 1/8" from your pattern line. You want to hog less than 1/2" deep as the Forstner will leave a dimple that will be removed with the router to full depth.

Make a sub base approx. 20" wide to straddle the cavity. Double stick or screw down the pattern you made to the piece you just hogged out. If you use screws, make sure they are well away from the cut and counter sunk so to not interfere with routing. Use a pattern bit (top mounted bearing) to ride against the pattern you made. You can buy top bearing bowl bits that will give you a nice transition curve where the bottom meets the sides.

Trim the excess away with a band saw or jig saw. Sand and/or hand plane the edges straight. Then, using the same router and sub base, profile the edges with your choice of pattern i.e round over, ogee,,,etc.


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## derek willis (Jan 21, 2009)

What's hog-out? anything to do with pigs?


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

Hog out....another North American idiom. 
In this case, it means to remove most of the material quickly to save wear on the router bits.


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## dbos1254 (Oct 30, 2009)

Thanks for the input. I'll try this.


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Gene Howe said:


> Hog out....another North American idiom.


Hi Gene 

The term is certainly used in the trade here as well. It often refers to using a coarse fast cutting bit or head to remove the majority of the waste material before doing the finishing cut with a finer cutter. It's used in the CNC arena in particular as well as for double-ended tenoners. Probably comes from Stateside, though.

Regards

Phil


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## cajunpen (Sep 30, 2004)

Thanks for the explanation Gene. I would not mind trying that myself.


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