# Fireplace Mantel Routing Question



## oldhudson49 (Feb 6, 2017)

Over the past few months I've been remodeling our lower level. We had a gas fireplace roughed in. I've tiled it and now want to make a mantel. I have a
6' x 9" x 2" piece of maple that's been air drying for years. 

I want to route a 2" radius Roman Ogee profile on 3 sides (face and both ends). My router is a Bosch 1617 EVS PK and I have a Kreg table. I typically try to route profile with a router table but this stock is so large and heavy that I'm thinking I should clamp the stock down and use portable routing. If I hold the router in my hand I'm worried about tear-out on the ends. And either way I'm worried about burning.

I will make several passes.

So what tips/suggestions/thoughts etc. can you old pros toss me? Thanks for reading.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

see if any of this helps...

.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Berry on the corners where you are worried about tear out rout them first, just nibbling away slowly in a climb cut direction. I try to anchor the router hand firmly against the piece to resist the climb cutting forces the router produces and swing the router in gently with my other hand. An alternate method is to clamp another piece of wood at those ends and the clamped piece will protect the corner if it is in good firm contact with it.


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

that would be one hell of a cut with a handheld.
I would use a router table and featherboards, and extension support trestle at both ends.
Care in preparation will pay off bigtime.

Its also possible on a table to make the cut in two or three passes, just by moving the fence back each time. which will help to reduce tear out.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

sunnybob said:


> that would be one hell of a cut with a handheld.
> I would use a router table and featherboards, and extension support trestle at both ends.
> Care in preparation will pay off bigtime.
> 
> Its also possible on a table to make the cut in two or three passes, just by moving the fence back each time. which will help to reduce tear out.


If you are referring to the cut I described Bob I've done it many times. Remember that when going handheld the bit is not trapped in any way so if it does start climb cutting the bit just pushes the router away from the work. Feather boards won't make any difference in regard to tear out and narrow progressive cuts don't always prevent it either. If the grain happens to run at an angle inward at the corner it's possible to rip a sizable chunk out of it. The piece of wood he describes is one I wouldn't want to take a chance on tearing out as it would be very expensive to replace.


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## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

Bob, that piece is 6 feet long and would be pretty heavy - you'd need a fairly large table or some other way of supporting that length without it tipping. Handheld, multiple light passes doing the ends first, then the long side is the way I'd go.


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think routing the end grain last helps.


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## boogalee (Nov 24, 2010)

Route end grain first.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

TenGees said:


> Correct me if I'm wrong but I think routing the end grain last helps.


I like 1st...
better results more often...


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Screw two pieces on the back of the mantle blank at the ends, one so you start cutting before you get to the mantle and the other to backup the grain and prevent tear out when finishing the cut. The screw holes will be on the back and never be seen.


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