# new to routering help freehand raised letter signs



## iam87 (Jan 24, 2017)

i am a sign maker vinyl ,pinstripe, hand...trying to router a sign and never used a router...I want to do raised letters with a smooth background, have no idea what bits to use...keep in mind i am very new and be very specific what bits to use, i sure more than one will be needed because of background and fine work...i have a fixed base router...any advice will be appreciated...and i guess procedure would be nice too...all i know now is to glue a pattern onto the wood, and now i need help...thanks


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

iam87 said:


> i am a sign maker vinyl ,pinstripe, hand...trying to router a sign and never used a router...I want to do raised letters with a smooth background, have no idea what bits to use...keep in mind i am very new and be very specific what bits to use, i sure more than one will be needed because of background and fine work...i have a fixed base router...any advice will be appreciated...and i guess procedure would be nice too...all i know now is to glue a pattern onto the wood, and now i need help...thanks


read these...

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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

More to read...

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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

few extras...

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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I believe Stick covered it . Welcome to the forum N/a


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

To leave a flat background you either have to use a straight bit or a flat nosed lettering bit like this one Freud Tools | 1-1/8" (Dia.) Lettering Bit. Generally it's better to use a small router so that you control it instead of it controlling you. If you want fine detail you'll have to use a small diameter bit so depth of cut per pass is an issue. For example you'll only want to go 1/8" deep with a 1/8" bit.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Hello and welcome to router forum enjoy hope we can help.


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

Welcome to the forum, Iam87.


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## iam87 (Jan 24, 2017)

thanks that s a start...in reference to the detail could you be more specific like type of bit.. size ...etc


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum Larry.


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

First welcome to the Router Forums.
All the reading @Stick486 has for you is very much worth the time.
The bit suggested by @Cherryville Chuck would give very good looking recessed letters. Also, I would reinforce his suggestion to use a small router, in the range of 1 to 1-1/2 hp, often called trim routers.
Infinity sells a bit, and there may be other sellers of which I am unaware, that produces a different effect.


Floating Lettering Bits - Grooving Router Bits - Carbide Router Bits - Router Bits & Sets - Routing


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## Mayo.Mick (Sep 27, 2016)

*Welcome*

Hi Larry, welcome.

Like you, I am also new to routing signs. I find this forum excellent for information from very knowledgeable and friendly helpful people. 

I am following Dave's channel on youtube which is a great help. Lots of videos there so you might be a while going through them all.

Opps, forgot to add link;
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN_0Eik8rgJVLsSTqawYMFg


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## Everend (Mar 15, 2013)

That list of reading material isn't intimidating... 

Do it though, good stuff there.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

iam87 said:


> thanks that s a start...in reference to the detail could you be more specific like type of bit.. size ...etc


Bit sizes would be specific to what you are doing Larry. Obviously, the larger the bit, the more area you cover in a shorter period of time. Sometimes you may need to use more than one bit. For example if you were using a vee style bit with a flat nose to do the outsides of letters in order to do the closed in part of an A you might have to use a vee point bit with the same angle and then flatten out the center with a small straight bit. All of this type stuff is specific to the size of your bits and the scale of your letters. The good news is that aren't that many different bits you would need for making signs and for the most part they are relatively cheap.


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## Tagwatts (Apr 11, 2012)

Mr. Stick, 

The information you have just upload here talking about Routers, should be put out as a syllabus. You have presented a superior amount of knowledge. I for one, hate reading manuals to try and learn and gain this type of Info. I appreciate what you have placed at the hands of all those wha may have a desire. I realize that the Forum Space is an issue. I think if this info was presented in down load zip type file, many like my self would sit and read, explore and try. The safety alone is worth so much. As with anything new, most people, just go and plunge right in. This when serious unexpected mishaps occur. 

I want to personally thank you for a job well done. I use you and Harry as my go to people for help. I try to read all that is presented, steal, copy and save as much as I can. 

Thanks Tagwatts1


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Welcome. I think you will do well to invest in a smaller router. I have the Bosch, but I think for sign making the DeWalt might be a better choice. A smaller router will be much easier to control.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

yur welcome Frank...


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## billyjim (Feb 11, 2012)

DesertRatTom said:


> Welcome. I think you will do well to invest in a smaller router. I have the Bosch, but I think for sign making the DeWalt might be a better choice. A smaller router will be much easier to control.


Tom I am curious about your recommendation of the DeWalt for sign making. Can you elaborate?


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

The Dewalt 611 is a small, palm-type, 1.25 HP router with a built-in light, Bill. It is very easy to use for sign carving, especially with the addition of an add-on base plate for more control. A lot of us who do sign carving use the Dewalt and find it works well. Here’s the link to a YouTube video showing Dave Rhoten (YouTube: Olddave100 channel) carving a sign from start to finish using the Dewalt:




It might help you get a handle on sign carving and show you how easy it really is. I have used both a 1/8" and 1/4" straight bit to carve a flat background around my letters after first cutting the shape with a profile bit. The photo shows the bits I use for sign carving.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> To leave a flat background you either have to use a straight bit or a flat nosed lettering bit like this one Freud Tools | 1-1/8" (Dia.) Lettering Bit. Generally it's better to use a small router so that you control it instead of it controlling you. If you want fine detail you'll have to use a small diameter bit so depth of cut per pass is an issue. For example you'll only want to go 1/8" deep with a 1/8" bit.


" Generally it's better to use a small router so that you control it instead of it controlling you"...Sorry Charles, I can't agree with this statement. My experience is the opposite, a small lightweight router has far more tendency to go it's own way than a large heavy one that needs a little pushing.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

iam87 said:


> i am a sign maker vinyl ,pinstripe, hand...trying to router a sign and never used a router...I want to do raised letters with a smooth background, have no idea what bits to use...keep in mind i am very new and be very specific what bits to use, i sure more than one will be needed because of background and fine work...i have a fixed base router...any advice will be appreciated...and i guess procedure would be nice too...all i know now is to glue a pattern onto the wood, and now i need help...thanks


These links may be of some help. The bit for removing the background should, if possible be a plunge cutter, that is one with an extra blade at the bottom and should be as big in diameter as possible consistent with fitting in all the spaces.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

harrysin said:


> " Generally it's better to use a small router so that you control it instead of it controlling you"...Sorry Charles, I can't agree with this statement. My experience is the opposite, a small lightweight router has far more tendency to go it's own way than a large heavy one that needs a little pushing.


have to agree w/ you Harry..


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

Harry,

Since Larry wants "raised letters" he is going to need a way to guide the router while cutting away the wood around the letters. How about finding your posts about making and using router skis, and the post you did about using them to carve raised letters on a sign. I think these would be a great help to him.

Larry,

With the router skis mentioned above, you should be able to remove the wood surrounding the letters, but you will be free hand guiding the router bit along the edges of the letters, which is difficult and will take practice, but Harry @harrysin managed to make a sign this way that he posted here for us to see. I hope he can find these posts for you.

Charley


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

CharleyL said:


> Harry,
> 
> Since Larry wants "raised letters" he is going to need a way to guide the router while cutting away the wood around the letters. How about finding your posts about making and using router skis, and the post you did about using them to carve raised letters on a sign. I think these would be a great help to him.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the suggestion Charley, I hope these pdf's will help.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I've used a 3.5 hp plunge for lettering and also a 1 to 1.25 hp router and preferred the smaller one Harry. Different strokes as the saying goes.


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

Thanks for finding them Harry. I was looking, but decided that you could find them faster than me, since you were the creator. Now to hope that he comes back and finds them here.

Charley


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> I've used a 3.5 hp plunge for lettering and also a 1 to 1.25 hp router and preferred the smaller one Harry. Different strokes as the saying goes.





Cherryville Chuck said:


> I've used a 3.5 hp plunge for lettering and also a 1 to 1.25 hp router and preferred the smaller one Harry. Different strokes as the saying goes.


I can't argue with that, so often have I said that once one has tried several methods of achieving a particular result, one is then in a position to settle on one method that feels most comfortable.
My previous comments were based on my own 40+ years of routing experience Charles.
As you can see, there are occasions when I use a trim router for fine detail work, but when the router is sat on a template or the work-piece, I find a BIG router easier to control.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

harrysin said:


> I can't argue with that, so often have I said that once one has tried several methods of achieving a particular result, one is then in a position to settle on one method that feels most comfortable.
> My previous comments were based on my own 40+ years of routing experience Charles.
> As you can see, there are occasions when I use a trim router for fine detail work, but when the router is sat on a template or the work-piece, I find a BIG router easier to control.


Harry I like the fact that seeing as there's no router base , you can actually see the material .
I was wondering if the router sled was locked down solid to the table and the router not able to move on the skiis , if moving the material instead of the router may work . 
Or is this dumb idea ?


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I don't think it is a dumb idea Rick but I do think that it would be more difficult than my way where the work-piece is held on the bench with pieces of scrap pinned around each side, the router locked to the ski rods and the skis operated by the end cheeks which not only gives even down pressure but incredible control of the router, make yourself a set of skis then try both methods, I think that you will be very surprised! I recall that some years ago here on the forum, describing the feeling when ski routing to sex, I was of course going by memory!


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