Routing End Grain

[Rand]

I am an inexperienced router user. The other day while attempting to make an oval picture frame out of red oak I had some pretty bad tear out problems on the end grain.

I was using a 1/2" roundover bit with an old Ryobi router mounted in the bt's accessory table. It worked fine until I get to the end grain of the piece then it grabs a big chunk of wood and ruins the piece while trying to throw it out of my hand.

So far I have tried the following:
Taking very small bites by making multiple passes and raising the blade slightly each pass.
Routing the end grain with the direction of the blade. That works better than against but still not perfect.
Using a lot of pressure - pushing the piece hard against the bits guide bearing and hard against the table.

These techniques made things better but I still had a little tearout. I googled it and the only thing I found was wetting the wood. I haven't tried that yet.

Anybody have any advice?

[LCHIEN]

Well, that happens to us all. Things you can do:

1) for safety's sake use a pivot pin, this is described elsewhere it will prevent that wanting to thorow the piece at the end!!! Please do it!

2) route the end grain ends first (if you are routing all four sides, then the chipout will be in the side which will more than liekley get routed off when you do the sides.

3) Use a backup block of scrap wood to support the end of the wood as it comes off. E.g. the backup wood should be flush with the workpiece in the routing direction but be an extension of the wood in that that direction. Then the chipout will be at the end of the scrap piece and not the good piece. This is the best way.

[Thom2]

psssst .... hey Loring .....

The other day while attempting to make an oval picture frame out of red oak ...

Red oak is notorious for blowout/chipout, what I've found to work for me on curved pieces is VERY light passes with the roundover with the final pass being a very light climb cut pass (I don't reccommend climb cutting to anyone that doesn't fully understand the inherent dangers of the procedure)

I do agree with Loring that a starting pin is a MUST, especially on curved work and making climb cuts, the pin gives you something to leverage against and GREATLY improves your control, I can't stress enough the use of a pin when freehand table routing.

[LCHIEN]

psssst .... hey Loring .....

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rand
The other day while attempting to make an oval picture frame out of red oak ...

well, duh, sorry, I guess i read it too fast and that was one of those, "Oh, I know what's wrong" reactions.

Yeah, Thom's got the right answer for the reverse grain on a curve chiput problem. Hate that when it happens.

[Rand]

I do agree with Loring that a starting pin is a MUST, especially on curved work and making climb cuts, the pin gives you something to leverage against and GREATLY improves your control, I can't stress enough the use of a pin when freehand table routing.

I'm using the accessory table on the BT3000 which doesn't have a starting pin or anywhere to put one without drilling and tapping etc.

Thanks for the advice guys. I guess it's time to get something other than read oak and a real router table or shaper.

[Thom2]

I'm using the accessory table on the BT3000 which doesn't have a starting pin or anywhere to put one without drilling and tapping etc.

I'm using the same setup, I just drilled and tapped a 1/4"-20 hole in the table, then for my pin I cut off a 1/4"-20x2" bolt so that it had about 3/8"-1/2" of threads and 1" or so of smooth shank.

[TomM]

Perhaps the bit is dull, or of low quality. Take shallow passes, and should probably keep the rpm's rather high (if variable speed router), but not so high that it burns the wood.

Tom

[drumpriest]

One other tip, wet the fibers a little. It should make them "stand up" a little, which will allow for an easier cut.

[Howard]

Can someone explain to me the concept of the pivot pin? I'm also new to routing and don't want to compromise safety. Where are the other posts about it?

[Tom Miller]

I'm using the accessory table on the BT3000 which doesn't have a starting pin or anywhere to put one without drilling and tapping etc.

I'm getting into this thread a little late, but a starting pin doesn't need to be a pin, per se. It can be the tapered edge of a piece of, say 1x1, that's clamped at the other end to the surface of the router table. The tapered edge serves as the starting "pin". I picked that up from the most excellent Hylton router book.

Regards,
Tom

[Greg.B]

Well, that happens to us all. Things you can do:

3) Use a backup block of scrap wood to support the end of the wood as it comes off. E.g. the backup wood should be flush with the workpiece in the routing direction but be an extension of the wood in that that direction. Then the chipout will be at the end of the scrap piece and not the good piece. This is the best way.

Just used this method when routing some walnut that I wanted to come out perfect. Just used some scrap ply right behind it and no tear out for the piece. Best way IMO.