Router Issue

[Luckbox]

Yesterday I had my top bearing pattern bit in the router mounted to the router table. I was routing following a ¾ particle board pattern. I had cut the finish piece close to the line so the router only had to remove 1/8 inch at most. I was using some reclaimed lumber from the Lumber Liquidator and had some snags. Most of the routing went fine except when the router went across the grain. On the corner it caused some minor chip out which I can easily hide, but right smack dap in the middle of a 1 inch side it took a large chunk out of the wood. On the next piece I tried slowing the router down and this time the bit grabbed the edge and if I didn’t have a good grip on the piece and was using a strip of wood as a pivot point and extra support. I then tried speeding up the router with no improvement.

What should I have done, or was this an issue with the wood?
I had no issue using a ¼ inch round over bit.

[Thom2]

I've had this problem time and time again with red oak, I've found that the BEST solution is a spiral upcut flush trim bit, but it is an expensive option.

The other thing you can do is to cut closer than 1/8" on the end grain areas and see how that works.

The last option and one I don't really advocate unless you fully understand what the consequences can be, is to climb cut those areas. I've had very good luck with climb cutting before I got the spiral bit, but it makes me very uncomfortable doing it.

I'm sure some other suggestions will come up from the other members.

[Russianwolf]

Another option instead of climbcutting is plungecuts. make a bunch of divots in the areas that you think you'll have trouble with by plunging the piece into the bit then pulling away. space the plunges out so that you are forming fairly sharp peaks between them, then go back and do your final pass as usual.

[drumpriest]

What Thom said, a spiral flush trim bit is the best way to go. MLCS has them for about 60$. A sheer angle is better than a straight flush trim, but a spiral is best.

Also you should support the stock with your router table's index pin. Hard, porous, straight grained lumber (red oak, etc...) will tend to blow out chunks of it when it gets thin and you route end grain. Sometimes it's better to flush it with a hand held router than on a table, for some reason it doesn't grab as badly.

[Luckbox]

It's looking like A spiral flush trim bit is in my near future. Like my fingers a bit to much to try the climb cut method. I was using the router fence kind of like an index pin. It worked fine the material didn't move it just tore a nice chunk out of the wood. Thanks for the input.

[JimD]

This is not my idea, I got it from a magazine, but the other thing you can do is to switch to a router bit with a bottom bearing and route from the other side. Or you can use a double (top and bottom) bearing bit. By cutting from both sides of the piece, you can avoid going against the grain. That is what causes chip-out. I climb cut sometimes, it is not that big a deal IMHO but do not try to remove more than a minimial amount of material that way and "HOLD ONTO YOUR WORK". If you only take off a tiny bit, you may find you do not need to climb cut.

Jim

[thrytis]

If possible, you can try backing up the corner of the board you're cutting with another board. This will only work if your edge that you're cutting to is straight.

If you're buying a spiral flush trim bit, MLCS has a couple on sale for $45. http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shops...e/sp060421.htm

[Luckbox]

Says the deal has expired. Man just not my night. The bosch router kit out of stock, the makita inpact driver out of stock, and now the mcls router bit deal is expired.

[Thom2]

You'll be hard pressed to beat that $59.95 price anywhere else, so just smile, fork out the cash and tell yourself that it's ALWAYS on sale