# Wood with knots - Alder



## Amy Bailey (Sep 29, 2017)

I am new to the forum and have been searching for using a router table with knotty alder. I am going to be making a large frame (4x4) using knotty alder wood. I am brand new to routing. I have a bosch router and router table. I am struggling getting through the small knots in the alder wood. Are there any tips? These are not loose knots. I am using this bit: CMT 855.902.11 Molding Bit, 1/2-Inch Shank, 1-1/16-Inch Diameter, Carbide-Tipped.

Any help or links to help would be great. I cannot seem to find much searching online for knots. One forum will say avoid knots altogether, another says the bit should have no problem with knots.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Hello and welcome to the forum. Amy
What do mean by trouble are the knots coming apart, if not, do not take a full bit with router you need to sneak up on the full profile, also which profile are you trying to route.


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## Amy Bailey (Sep 29, 2017)

No, the knots are not coming apart. The router gets stuck or moves slowly. I am brand new to this, so I know it's user error. As for profile... I really don't know. More to research! It is a 1x4 knotty alder board, I'm wanting to put a nice edge on the frame (the 4" side).


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

welcome Amy..
are you cutting the face or the edge of 1x4???
if it'd the face try cutting in multiple passes...
what speed are you turning the bit at???
also, is your pit sharp and clean???

..


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

some good reading that may help you out...

.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

a bit more...

..


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

some helper hints to reduce friction...

add UHMW tape to your fence...
this tape cand easily be had in 4'' wide strips/rolls...
great for the plates on your saws and the table saw fence...
most anyplace you want a no-mar slick surface...
Slippery (Low-Friction) Tape - Lee Valley Tools

wax your table tops...


.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Amy,

You've got good a quality bit, which Bosch router? It sounds like it is trying to take too much off at one time. You can set the bit further back in your fence and try to take the cut in 3 passes, and see how that works.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Is this the type of bit you are using?
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=+CMT+855....s-amazon.com/images/I/31EnqbbAW3L._SL160_.jpg

If it is you are running your material through on edge standing up with the face against the fence?
You should have a good feather board set up.
If you can try not to cut it in one pass like was mentioned above, take 2-3 passes setting the fence back each time til a full profile cut is made.
Set the fence, run each board through, then reset the fence , run them again, and again,if needed til you have a full depth of cut. 
The cut the miters on the ends and assemble.

One of the main points is to have a good set up to keep the boards flat against the fence, a 4" high board can be tilted away from the fence easily when it is cutting through a knot.
Try to keep the feed rate steady to keep from burning.

I like to work with alder it machines nicely and takes stains readily.

Be sure to have a sharp bit

Don't give up, this should work for you. 

Herb


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Amy, I think you're probably trying to take too much off at once. I like to take 3 passes or more. I generally try to take off an eighth of an inch or so max on each pass, depending on the bit, with a final pass taking off just a tiny amount so it leaves a nice finish. Knots are very hard as a rule, so I try to avoid routing through one if possible, it doesn't take much to greak a carbide bit. Clear stock is quite expensive, but for finished projects, a clean, knot free edge is preferred, by me at least. I often use some pine from HD which has knots in it, but look for pieces that have long clear sections and use those sections. The sections with small knots, if long enough, get used for random projects, jigs, etc.

Stick's reading list is pretty long, but over time definitely worth digesting.

Glad you decided to join the fun here and in woodworking. My daughter is also an Amy, but spelled more in the French manner. I wish she were interested in woodworking, then I'd have someone to leave my tools to.

We all like to answer questions, to offer help and support, so ask away.


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Welcome, Amy! Glad you're here and asking advice - you'll get some pretty good answers here and all the above show that, in fact. Getting through Stick's list may take a while, but like Tom said, it is good info. Like Doug said, I often take 3 passes to cut a Roman Ogee edge and others when profiling an edge. I had a knotty Alder project not long ago and my Bosch 1617 router and Freud bit cut right through everything just fine.

If you want, post some photos of what you're cutting and how you're going about it and that may help with the advice you'll get.

David


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

kp91 said:


> Amy,
> 
> You've got good a quality bit, which Bosch router? It sounds like it is trying to take too much off at one time. You can set the bit further back in your fence and try to take the cut in 3 passes, and see how that works.


Yeah. I seldom work with wood with knots, but when I do I do the knots much slower, just a little cut at a time, maybe go over a knot several time. No problems so far.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Amy
This is a bead profile, profiles are the design of the cutter


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Welcome Amy. When you are ready for the final pass (as per multiple pass method) take a straight edge or straight piece of wood and hold it across the infeed and out feed fences. Move the fence until until the guide bearing just touches the straight edge. You are now set for the final pass.


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## Amy Bailey (Sep 29, 2017)

Wow, thank you for all the help!! I will definitely be reading through all the links and will keep trying. I normally only build rabbit cages so I've never used a router. My dad and I usually build together, but I'm taking it up a notch. lol. Dad is getting impressed.  My husband bought the router for me as a surprise so I'm learning! 

I'm glad I joined the forum!


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## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

Welcome to the forum, Amy. As you've already noticed, there's a enormous bunch of knowledgeable people here who are happy to share their expertise. You'll like it here.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Amy Bailey said:


> Wow, thank you for all the help!! I will definitely be reading through all the links and will keep trying. I normally only build rabbit cages so I've never used a router. My dad and I usually build together, but I'm taking it up a notch. lol. Dad is getting impressed.  My husband bought the router for me as a surprise so I'm learning!
> 
> I'm glad I joined the forum!


glad ya see it that way...
ya know.. there are questions that need answering so the that you get more definitive help...


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## Amy Bailey (Sep 29, 2017)

I'm sorry for my slow response. I read through a lot and figured it out. I was trying to cut too deep the first time through. I ended up cutting twice and it worked. I love how it turned out! I learned to use a rabbeting bit too on this project. We hung it today and it looks great! I did order a couple Gripper advanced 3D pushblocks and they help me a lot too. 

Thanks for all the help and here is a picture of my dart board frame. I only wish I had cut my corkboard a little straighter, but it'll do!


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Did I understand you correctly, Amy? Your hubby bought you a _Bosch_?! You better hang on to him; he's a keeper!


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## Amy Bailey (Sep 29, 2017)

Yes... he has went a little crazy. I breed Holland lop bunnies so my woodworking started with bunny cages. My dad always helped me with his tools. I told my hubby I wanted a miter saw, nothing fancy. He bought me a Bosch 12" miter saw with stand, then things just started happening. Bosch sander, bosch router and table. A kreg jig, nail guns (3 sizes)..... and much more. We had a JET table saw that I have cleaned up and use now too. Apparently it's a good one, our cousins that build houses tried to take it from me. lol

So I'm learning as I go!


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## JohnEsta (Jan 13, 2021)

I am also a beginner and faced a similar problem, I wanted to create a topic but found this one. Many thanks to the user Stick 486 for such a huge amount of useful information. It helped me a lot to solve the situation with the alder faster. Also, I couldn't figure out how to use a router for woodworking since I am new to all this. A friend who has been doing this for a long time was in another city, he told me to look here https://thetoolscout.com/how-to-use-a-router-for-woodworking/ and I really quickly figured out how to do everything. So thank you to my friend and your forum for a lot of information.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum @JohnEsta


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