# Would you look at this set up please...



## adot45 (Feb 6, 2013)

Hello, I am making some frames from 3/4" stock and want to route a 1/4" groove down the center. I have my router and table set up as in the pictures and would just like to know if this is a reasonable way to do this...?....at this point I still have all ten digits and just want to keep it that way. The groove will be 1/2" deep.....2 passes be OK? I'll have 8 rails and 8 stiles for a total of about 40 feet (of groove). Thanks


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Dave 
I do not see anything wrong with it, what is the groove for,I might make three passes just for ease of operation, make sure you mark the side against fence because unless you reverse and run them the opposite direction you probability will not be centered


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## adot45 (Feb 6, 2013)

Hi, Thanks John, good point. I plan on doing just that as the panels I'm putting in there are more like 5/32 at the edges. Also, I forgot to add the pieces between the panels so there is another 16' of groove.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Dave have you thought about a slot cutter then you could lay the boards flat might give a little more control just an idea ,but nothing wrong with what you are doing


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

A spiral up cut bit will evacuate the cut and a straight bit will leave it packed. Not a big deal to run a pencil through the slot to remove the cuttings.


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## adot45 (Feb 6, 2013)

Semipro said:


> Dave have you thought about a slot cutter then you could lay the boards flat might give a little more control just an idea ,but nothing wrong with what you are doing


Another good point John and I had thought of that. I went to Lowe's today to see if they had a 5/16" slot cutter and they had a 1/4" and then jumped to 3/8".....the 1/4" would be undersize and I thought the 3/8" would be too loose. After I got home and was thinking about it some more I had a Duh moment and realized I could have used the 1/4" and after the first groove was made I could have raised or lowered it to made another pass to get the 5/16".....oh well,....I thought laying the board flat made more sense too and would be more stable (safer) as well. I'll cut the tenon's on my table saw. Just as a passing note. Of the two routers I bought a year ago, this will be the second time I've used this one and the second one has not even been plugged in yet.  Still not real comfortable using them.


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## adot45 (Feb 6, 2013)

Mike said:


> A spiral up cut bit will evacuate the cut and a straight bit will leave it packed. Not a big deal to run a pencil through the slot to remove the cuttings.




Mike, I sure wish I would have posted this stuff before I went to Lowe's.....I recall that they DID have a spiral upcut bit......would have been a good one to pick up. Oh well, I will slowly catch on to this stuff. Thanks


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Dave
1/4 slot cutter not quite centered when flip and run thru again give you a center cut then go table saw and cut your tenon's to fit


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## adot45 (Feb 6, 2013)

@ John, Yep.....you see post #6.......


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Well keep us informed and good luck


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## adot45 (Feb 6, 2013)

Indeed I will and Thank You to all who answered.....it helped a lot! Dave


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## WurliTzerwilly (Jun 9, 2013)

adot45 said:


> Hello, I am making some frames from 3/4" stock and want to route a 1/4" groove down the center. I have my router and table set up as in the pictures and would just like to know if this is a reasonable way to do this...?....at this point I still have all ten digits and just want to keep it that way. The groove will be 1/2" deep.....2 passes be OK? I'll have 8 rails and 8 stiles for a total of about 40 feet (of groove). Thanks


I would tend to use 3 passes with the last one being a light pass to give a cleaner finish cut.

You shouldn't have issues with fingers near the cutter, but if you're concerned, I suggest using a push hook, push stick or push pad.


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## boogalee (Nov 24, 2010)

adot45 said:


> Another good point John and I had thought of that. I went to Lowe's today to see if they had a 5/16" slot cutter and they had a 1/4" and then jumped to 3/8".....the 1/4" would be undersize and I thought the 3/8" would be too loose. After I got home and was thinking about it some more I had a Duh moment and realized I could have used the 1/4" and after the first groove was made I could have raised or lowered it to made another pass to get the 5/16".....oh well,....I thought laying the board flat made more sense too and would be more stable (safer) as well. I'll cut the tenon's on my table saw. Just as a passing note. Of the two routers I bought a year ago, this will be the second time I've used this one and the second one has not even been plugged in yet.  Still not real comfortable using them.





adot45 said:


> Hi, Thanks John, good point. I plan on doing just that as the panels I'm putting in there are more like 5/32 at the edges. Also, I forgot to add the pieces between the panels so there is another 16' of groove.


What size are the panels? If they are 5/32 I would use the table saw.

Al


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## adot45 (Feb 6, 2013)

boogalee said:


> What size are the panels? Either way I would use the table saw.
> 
> Al


Hi Al, the panels are 11 3/8 square. I cut them on the table saw with a panel raising jig.


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## boogalee (Nov 24, 2010)

adot45 said:


> Hi Al, the panels are 11 3/8 square. I cut them on the table saw with a panel raising jig.


Dave

I edited my post. I am asking if the panels are 5/32 or 5/16 at the edge.

Nice looking panel.

Al


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## adot45 (Feb 6, 2013)

boogalee said:


> Dave
> 
> I edited my post. I am asking if the panels are 5/32 or 5/16 at the edge.
> 
> ...


Oh I see....the edges are 5/16.... and Thank You.


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## Yeoman (May 20, 2013)

Hi, I think that it might be worth running the wood across a table saw in the centre of where the router will pass to cut down on the load and make it an easier cut. If you hog out the bulk of the wood you might be able to cut full depth with one pass. It might also be worth spending some time setting up to make sure you are dead centre then just one pass should do the trick.

Alex


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## boogalee (Nov 24, 2010)

adot45 said:


> Oh I see....the edges are 5/16.... and Thank You.


Dave

If the panel was raised on the table saw and you are making the slots 1/2" deep then your slot needs to be at least 3/8" (because of taper) or larger. I would then use the 3/8" slot cutter.

Al


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## adot45 (Feb 6, 2013)

Yeoman said:


> Hi, I think that it might be worth running the wood across a table saw in the centre of where the router will pass to cut down on the load and make it an easier cut. If you hog out the bulk of the wood you might be able to cut full depth with one pass. It might also be worth spending some time setting up to make sure you are dead centre then just one pass should do the trick.
> 
> Alex


Very good idea Alex, Thank You.


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## adot45 (Feb 6, 2013)

boogalee said:


> Dave
> 
> If the panel was raised on the table saw and you are making the slots 1/2" deep then your slot needs to be at least 3/8" (because of taper) or larger. I would then use the 3/8" slot cutter.
> 
> Al


Hi Al, Yep, you are right. I was out in the shop laying the sides out and realized my original plan wasn't going to work. The panels have an 11* bevel on them. I think I am going to figure on a 3/8 groove and probably only 3/8 deep although that isn't much of a tenon.


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## adot45 (Feb 6, 2013)

Semipro said:


> Well keep us informed and good luck


Hi John. Nothing real great to report but I said I would inform you of my progress or as it turns out, lack of progress. I abandoned the thought of using the router and table as I just can't seem to make myself use that thing. It was a comedy of errors and silly mistakes all day yesterday. Measuring from the wrong side of the blade, moving the fence to the left instead of the right, zigging when I should have been zagging, etc. cetera. Gee, the U-tube videos make it seem so easy too........anyway, just to salvage what I had I just used pocket screws to put them together. I got three panels build and ran out of screws, tomorrow is another day and a good excuse to go to Lowe's or someplace to get Kreg screws. Thanks for everyone's interest and suggestions.


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## damnitboy (Mar 3, 2012)

Howdy Dave,
John nailed the heck out of it. When you use the periphery of the tool by using a slot cutter (groover) you are at least 5 times more efficient than using a router bit, plus when you use a bearing if the depth of the cut is flexible, you are bullet proof and virtually no chance to scrap your material. I would estimate once you locating the center of your cut you could run this operation in around 10 minutes and one cut is no problems.
-Eloy


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