Rosette cutters

[jAngiel]

Does anyone here make their own rosette blocks for door casings? Do those rosette cutters do a good job? Where is a good place to purchase from? There seems to be a wide variance in pricing from different places.

It seems like it would save some money making my own seeing how much they are from the big box stores. I need at least 12 for the current room I'm working on and there are three other rooms to do with at least the same amount in each room, more if I dress up around the windows.

Or is there a place where you can purchase a large quantity cheaply?

[leehljp]

They are expensive to me. I did buy a couple of cutters from Grizzly as theirs seem a little more reasonable than most others. I have not gotten my money's worth out of them yet but I keep dreaming that I am going to use them some day.

[cabinetman]

James

Have made rosettes on the lathe and it's hard to get them identical with out a copy jig. On a drill press it's a snap. Try this site, their prices seem pretty low.
http://www.woodline.com/scripts/prod...ette%20Cutters
Or http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=br_ss_hs...&Go.y=11&Go=Go



"I'M NEVER WRONG - BUT I'M NOT ALWAYS RIGHT"

[LCHIEN]

I have looked at those. The rosette cutters work on a drill press, I think that's the most reasonable way, BUT (Here's the warning) I think you have to have a drill press that can turn at a slow 150 RPM for that sized cutter (typically 2.5-3" in diameter.) Most DP's can't go that slow. 5-speed presses usually go down to about 600 RPM and 12-speed presses usually go to 300 RPM or so.

If you just need a few you can buy them from Rockler pre-cut.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Wilke has been ebaying these :

http://www.wilkemachinery.com/defaul...skudatarq=5400

They typically go for around $25.

[thestinker]

low speed

I looked at a couple of them. I didn't see mention of the speed limitations short of not for use on a router. LCHIEN- do you have exp with these and hence the low speed warning. I have access to a drill press, but don't know for sure how low it will go.

[Tom Miller]

I looked at a couple of them. I didn't see mention of the speed limitations short of not for use on a router.

Well, the one in Jeffrey's link says 350 rpm, max -- it's a 3" diameter cutter. Seems like another concern would be the load on the motor. Seems like you'd want 3/4 HP or more for that kind of cutting diameter, but that's just a gut feel.

Regards,
Tom

[jAngiel]

Thanks for the replys. I think I will go ahead and try one. I do have an el cheapo 12 speed drill press that can go down to 300 or 350 which seems to be slow enough for most of the cutters I've seen.

Thanks again...

[bigsteel15]

What about using a Spirocrafter?
You can use a router bit that suits your design and cut out the squares after you've made the pattern.

[LCHIEN]

I looked at a couple of them. I didn't see mention of the speed limitations short of not for use on a router. LCHIEN- do you have exp with these and hence the low speed warning. I have access to a drill press, but don't know for sure how low it will go.

I have not actually used one.
I do know I've read that they must be turned pretty slow. I know that 3" forstner bits which would be comparable in the fact that they cut across the entire diameter need to run no faster than 150-300 RPM.
My experience with DP's has been that the bigger ones have more speeds and the ones with more speeds go down that low. Those with only 5 speeds usually go no lower than around 600 RPM.

As for the HP, it's probably good to have the HP, but it's probably just as important to clamp the work securely to the DP table since it will want to grab and spin. Probably you should cut a strip of them and then crosscut into squares, be much easier to clamp that way.

[L. D. Jeffries]

I've saved a bundle making my own rosettes! Priced then at local BORG for something like $4 to $5 per each!! Bought my cutter about 7 yrs ago for something like $25-30. When I remodeled our house I probably made 40 or 50 rosettes. (doors-window trim) So figured I saved enough to justify another tool. A drill press with a "slow" speed is a MUST, that and a very light tender touch when making them as well as a good clamping fixture.

[thestinker]

OK...Thanks for the info. I hadn't used any bits of any kind that were that size, and was ignorant of the low speed requirements. Not sure the speed settings on the DP. I knw its a big floor standing one, but thats about it. Next tie I'm over at dads house I will check out the speed settings.