tips on matching a roundover profile?

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  • tlt
    Established Member
    • Jan 2006
    • 125
    • Tucson, Arizona.
    • Delta 36-682

    tips on matching a roundover profile?

    I am working with some 10 foot maple boards that are 12" wide and 1 3/8" thick (see attached pics). They have an existing roundover on the sides that I'd like to match when I cut these to length. Normally I just pull a bits and make test cuts until it matches, but I think this roundover is bigger than anything in my arsenal and I'll have to order something.

    Any tips on measuring/matching an existing profile would be greatly appreciated.
    Attached Files
  • sweensdv
    Veteran Member
    • Dec 2002
    • 2862
    • WI
    • Baileigh TS-1040P-50

    #2
    If you won't need all of the lumber for your project, why not just cut a small piece off of one end and take it with you when you go to buy the bit. There must be a few places in Tucson that stock router bits.
    _________________________
    "Have a Great Day, unless you've made other plans"

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    • cabinetman
      Gone but not Forgotten RIP
      • Jun 2006
      • 15218
      • So. Florida
      • Delta

      #3
      If you have the bits, you can just hold the bit against the edge and see the match if any. For 1 3/8" thickness, the radius for a top and bottom run would be between 5/8", and 3/4". It could have been run with either and sanded to shape it smoothly.

      .

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      • trungdok
        Established Member
        • Oct 2012
        • 235
        • MA

        #4
        If you won't be needing that bit in the future, then just round it with your existing (smaller) bit, then sand it down some more to match.

        Comment

        • cwsmith
          Veteran Member
          • Dec 2005
          • 2737
          • NY Southern Tier, USA.
          • BT3100-1

          #5
          I simply pull my "best guess" from those roundover bits that I have and position it on the edge to see if it matches.

          If I doesn't or if I didn't have a roundover bit, I'd place a straight-edge against the edge and measure the distance back to where the rounded edge meets the flat top. That measured distance IS the roundover radius.

          However, in your particular case you mention that the board is 1-3/8 inches thick and in the photo it appears (to me anyway) that the edge is completely rounded from top to the bottom. In which case the radius of the roundover bit should be half of that thickness, which is 11/16. If you use a 5/8-inch roundover, you'll end up with a very slight flat on the edge, which wouldn't appear to be bad at all (only my taste, perhaps).

          CWS
          Last edited by cwsmith; 07-11-2013, 10:28 AM.
          Think it Through Before You Do!

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          • tlt
            Established Member
            • Jan 2006
            • 125
            • Tucson, Arizona.
            • Delta 36-682

            #6
            Good stuff here -- I will get out to the garage to measure tonight after it cools down a bit.

            Now a follow-up question: if the profile is completely round, does it require a shim on the outfeed side of the router table for a route on a straight end? If that's the case, I may be inclined to go with a 5/8" profile and ease the small flat by hand. I plan to make rounded corners similar to the second photo...and that could get tricky if the roundover moves past the halfway point.

            Comment

            • LCHIEN
              Internet Fact Checker
              • Dec 2002
              • 20920
              • Katy, TX, USA.
              • BT3000 vintage 1999

              #7
              you will probably want that small flat for the bearing or fence to ride on.

              clean it off by sanding afterwards.
              Loring in Katy, TX USA
              If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
              BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

              Comment

              • cabinetman
                Gone but not Forgotten RIP
                • Jun 2006
                • 15218
                • So. Florida
                • Delta

                #8
                Matching up the round over after the board is cut to length it would be cut with a bit with a bearing in a handheld router...no fence. Using a fence would permit the corner to "fall" into the break in the fence.

                Once cut to length, the two corners would be radiused to match. That could be done with doing a take off of the corners of the cut off, and cut with a jig saw. Then the edges could be run. I would use the 5/8" bit, and do final shaping with any remaining edges with sandpaper.

                .

                Comment

                • gsmittle
                  Veteran Member
                  • Aug 2004
                  • 2784
                  • St. Louis, MO, USA.
                  • BT 3100

                  #9
                  If you have enough width to trim the board a bit, you could cut off the roundover and use one of your current bits for a new profile.

                  g.
                  Smit

                  "Be excellent to each other."
                  Bill & Ted

                  Comment

                  • cwsmith
                    Veteran Member
                    • Dec 2005
                    • 2737
                    • NY Southern Tier, USA.
                    • BT3100-1

                    #10
                    Personally, I prefer to cut the corners using a template. In this particular case, I'd cut guide template to suit the corner radius that you want and then fasten it in place. A template will ensure that all corners are exactly the same. Then use a roundover with a bearing or else a guide bushing on your router base or table.

                    Often that requires a pinning or stapling, but I don't like to see any fastener marks, so I cut my template with a long tongue or edge that I can clamp in a manner which will keep the clamp well out of the way of my router.

                    CWS
                    Think it Through Before You Do!

                    Comment

                    • tlt
                      Established Member
                      • Jan 2006
                      • 125
                      • Tucson, Arizona.
                      • Delta 36-682

                      #11
                      Unfortunately I need as much width as I can get from these boards; otherwise trimming off the profile would work out great.

                      I checked last night and the roundover is 5/8"; MLCS has an affordable bit that is on its way.

                      For the corners, my usual method is to lay it out with a template, cut close, and sand to the line. The template is ridiculously expensive for what it is, but it's gotten so much use over the years that it lessens the pain.

                      template: http://www.amazon.com/Big-Horn-27125...orner+template

                      Thanks again for all the great ideas; I will post an updated pic when the project (a remodel) is complete.

                      Comment

                      • cwsmith
                        Veteran Member
                        • Dec 2005
                        • 2737
                        • NY Southern Tier, USA.
                        • BT3100-1

                        #12
                        Regarding the corner template listed on Amazon.

                        I suppose if you've got the "bread" to go that route it's a good option and gives you a lot of different varieties for future use. However, for myself I don't do enough round corners to justify it and find it a more economical (and practical) to just use some scrap subfloor ply or 1/2-inch (or less) MDF to make a corner guide template. Mark it with a compass or circle template or even an appropriately-sized jar or can lid. Then I cut it close on my little band saw and sand the edge smooth.

                        That way, I can provide a surface area that is easy to clamp without interferring with the router travel.

                        CWS
                        Think it Through Before You Do!

                        Comment

                        • cabinetman
                          Gone but not Forgotten RIP
                          • Jun 2006
                          • 15218
                          • So. Florida
                          • Delta

                          #13
                          Originally posted by cwsmith
                          Regarding the corner template listed on Amazon.

                          I suppose if you've got the "bread" to go that route it's a good option and gives you a lot of different varieties for future use. However, for myself I don't do enough round corners to justify it and find it a more economical (and practical) to just use some scrap subfloor ply or 1/2-inch (or less) MDF to make a corner guide template. Mark it with a compass or circle template or even an appropriately-sized jar or can lid. Then I cut it close on my little band saw and sand the edge smooth.

                          That way, I can provide a surface area that is easy to clamp without interferring with the router travel.

                          CWS
                          There are a few ways to do the radiused corners. I've made a template to clamp to the bottom edge of the radius. Cut the radius close with a jig saw (that piece is a bit long and heavy for a band saw). Then use a long flush cut bit and trim it off. Some members don't have those long bits (some are double bearing), and remember the edge is 1 3/8" thick.

                          I've used a belt sander perpendicular to the edge, and done them by hand with a shop made block sander, which actually works very well for this procedure.

                          .

                          Comment

                          • pelligrini
                            Veteran Member
                            • Apr 2007
                            • 4217
                            • Fort Worth, TX
                            • Craftsman 21829

                            #14
                            Loring had a pretty good post on corner templates not too long ago:
                            This forum is the place to post photos of your completed projects. Please try to limit pictures to 540px wide or less so that is is viewable to all. Off-topic threads in this forum will periodically be purged so as to keep it "clean".


                            I've made some quick ones in a similar fashon.
                            Erik

                            Comment

                            • LCHIEN
                              Internet Fact Checker
                              • Dec 2002
                              • 20920
                              • Katy, TX, USA.
                              • BT3000 vintage 1999

                              #15
                              In that thread, I made some, but at the end of the thread I concluded for $20 this was a better deal:


                              Still if you like to DIY you can read the thread.
                              Loring in Katy, TX USA
                              If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
                              BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

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