# General help on routing edges.



## BillWendy (Nov 25, 2009)

Hi all, 

I'm super-new to routing and want to route an edge (roman ogee) around the top of a desk I'm building. I'm using a Ryobi ERT241200. I don't have a router table, so I clamped some scrap pine to my work bench and did some trial runs--with little success. The edge I'm creating is wavy in spots, and overall just really inconsistent. I've tried putting a lot of pressure on the router and moving it very slowly left to right along the edge, but I can still feel slight variations and when I check the cut it's wonky. What am I doing wrong? The bit I'm using has a ball bearing guide so I just don't understand what's happening. Do I just need an actual table? Is the router insufficient for routing 3/4" pine? 

Sorry if I'm doing something terribly wrong here, or asking stupid questions, but I just can't seem to find any info pertaining to this specific problem. 

Thanks for your time, 

Bill


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## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

BillWendy said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I'm super-new to routing and want to route an edge (roman ogee) around the top of a desk I'm building. I'm using a Ryobi ERT241200. I don't have a router table, so I clamped some scrap pine to my work bench and did some trial runs--with little success. The edge I'm creating is wavy in spots, and overall just really inconsistent. I've tried putting a lot of pressure on the router and moving it very slowly left to right along the edge, but I can still feel slight variations and when I check the cut it's wonky. What am I doing wrong? The bit I'm using has a ball bearing guide so I just don't understand what's happening. Do I just need an actual table? Is the router insufficient for routing 3/4" pine?
> 
> ...


Welcome to the forum.

How much are you trying to cut? Maybe you are trying to take too much in one pass.

It might also be that the bit is not in the collet right, make sure you bottom out the shank in the collet, then pull it back up a hair. and make sure that you arn't clamping on the radius of the shank.

Im sure some others more experianced then me will post stay tuned. :help:


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## Woodnut65 (Oct 11, 2004)

Hi, Bill: You mention that your bit has a ball bearing guide. When making the cut , what is the bearing riding on? An ogee bit with the bearing on the bottom below the cutting edges must ride on the portion of your material that is not actually being cut. 
That is usually the very bottom of the 3/4" board. If you are removing material a full 3/4 inches, you would need either a router table with a fence or a straight edge fastened to your material to provide a place for the bearing to ride. Hope this helps.
Woodnut65


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## Dr.Zook (Sep 10, 2004)

Welcome to the RouterForums Bill. No stupid questions here. Ask away.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Bill I wonder if you are putting too much pressure on the router. I don't know how you have the workpiece clamped but maybe it is actually "bending" from the pressure. This might create a wavy cut.


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

Does the bearing move freely?
As mentioned above with this bit you can take lighter cuts & increase the depth to where you want it. Sometimes if you take too much off in one pass you could get the chatter marks. Make sure your bearing has a surface to ride on. I put a rubber gromet in the bottom of the collet before I insert the bit to keep it from bottoming out. You should never bottom out a bit in the router so it tightens on the radius of the shank.


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## BillWendy (Nov 25, 2009)

After several hours troubleshooting in the shed today I've discovered I've been making every mistake listed here :'( 

To wit: I _was _trying to take too much wood off in one pass, I _was _using a bit that was too large for the wood, I _did _have the piece incorrectly installed in the collet, I _was _using too much pressure and causing waves in the pine, and I _can _identify chatter marks from, again, taking too much off in one hit! Incredible I could really be so fatuous! :fie: 

Now that I've finished making an ass of myself, I've actually put a very nice, neat, and _straight _edge on a practice piece of pine. It's amazing! Well, no, what's amazing is that there exists a board like this with friendly and knowledgeable people willing to help people like me out, and for that I am very grateful. 

Dr. Zook: I see you are the official greeter. Thanks for taking the time to say hi. 

Well, I'm off to do some serious routing :laugh:


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Greetings Bill and welcome to the router forum. Thank you for joining us. 

My friend take it easy on yourself, I am sure in the areas of life you work in you are more than competent. Life is a journey enjoy it. It won’t be long and you will be helping out one of these would be "experts" here. After all an "expert" is nothing more than a "has been drip under pressure", which in time qualifies all of us to some degree or another. Just remember to have fun and to "smell the flowers" along the way and relax.


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## BillWendy (Nov 25, 2009)

Thanks Jerry, I appreciate it. I think I just got way too excited and then way too disappointed! Will keep your advice in mind and try to relax more and enjoy the learning process. 

Cheers, 

Bill


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Please, take some pictures of your work and post them. It motivates us all! 

Happy Thanksgiving!


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