# routing a slope



## Fraise (May 19, 2012)

Hi, my first post and I'm no router expert, so please excuse ignorance. I have to rebuild the lazarette on my boat, as its got a bit of wet rot. This involves remaking the timber frame which forms the top opening locker support. So here's the tricky bit - the frame includes 2 sections of mahogany which have a sloping channel to allow water to run away. In millimetres the section is 55 high, 38 across and 430 in length. and the drain is a slope that runs the length of the 430. How will I set up the router to cut that slope? Its basically what Americans call a dado cut (I think). The only way I can imagine is to make some sort of wedge shape out of a piece of scrap so the router runs up it as it cuts, gradually reducing the cut. But of course that's tricky, as I'll need to cut though the wedge. Oh I bet there's an expert on here who's done something similar.
thanks
John in the UK
by the way, before someone says post a drawing, I'm going to try to do so tomorrow.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

Fraise said:


> Hi, my first post and I'm no router expert, so please excuse ignorance. I have to rebuild the lazarette on my boat, as its got a bit of wet rot. This involves remaking the timber frame which forms the top opening locker support. So here's the tricky bit - the frame includes 2 sections of mahogany which have a sloping channel to allow water to run away. In millimetres the section is 55 high, 38 across and 430 in length. and the drain is a slope that runs the length of the 430. How will I set up the router to cut that slope? Its basically what Americans call a dado cut (I think). The only way I can imagine is to make some sort of wedge shape out of a piece of scrap so the router runs up it as it cuts, gradually reducing the cut. But of course that's tricky, as I'll need to cut though the wedge. Oh I bet there's an expert on here who's done something similar.
> thanks
> John in the UK
> by the way, before someone says post a drawing, I'm going to try to do so tomorrow.


Hi John - Welcome to the forum 
Sounds like a job for router skiis. Do a search here, several threads on them. Short of making a set of those, just make a frame for your router to run level on and attach the work piece below it with a couple of shims to raise the workpiece slightly on one end.


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## Fraise (May 19, 2012)

Thanks John,
Well, your post made me think 'I don't have skis and though I'm sure he's right its a 'first catch your yak' approach for an itsy bitsy bit of work.' Then I realised I could mount the blank in the jaws of a folding workbench at any angle I want and use my router's fence along the outer side of the workbench jaw. Hey presto - apparently I do have skis; the workbench jaws. Thanks for getting me thinking in the right direction.

I can see that the skis will let me use the router for planing. Hm. Perhaps I will make skis.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

John, here is another way to cut your angles, this can easily be built at any angle required.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

Here's just one more way.

http://www.routerforums.com/table-mounted-routing/33162-mlcs-horizontal-router-table-update.html

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/horizontal_router_table.html

==


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## Fraise (May 19, 2012)

*Thanks*

Thanks for your replies gents. I'm a slow correspondent because I was away from home on a boat and frankly writing to the forum on a smart phone is hard work!


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