I am trying to round over the edge of a 4ft long 1.5" x 3/8" strip of
hardwood using a 3/8" round-over bit.

Since the wood is so thin (3/8"), I am using my router table for
otherwise the bearing would extend below the wood (and in fact the
roundover diamter is the same as the thickness of the wood).

The problem is that I am having trouble doing so without causing jumps
& gouges in the edge.

The problem is particularly bad near the tail end where I get a rather big
jump when the strip leaves the infeed guide. I believe the problem is
due to the fact that when the entire edge is rounded over, only the
very bottom edge of the strip is touching the guide which makes
alignment very difficult.

So, I am looking for a reliable way of rounding over the entire edge
of a thin strip of wood as above.

Are there any tricks? (such as maybe temporarily attaching it to
another piece of wood)

blueman wrote:
I am trying to round over the edge of a 4ft long 1.5" x 3/8" strip of
hardwood using a 3/8" round-over bit.

Since the wood is so thin (3/8"), I am using my router table for
otherwise the bearing would extend below the wood (and in fact the
roundover diamter is the same as the thickness of the wood).

The problem is that I am having trouble doing so without causing jumps
& gouges in the edge.

The problem is particularly bad near the tail end where I get a rather big
jump when the strip leaves the infeed guide. I believe the problem is
due to the fact that when the entire edge is rounded over, only the
very bottom edge of the strip is touching the guide which makes
alignment very difficult.

So, I am looking for a reliable way of rounding over the entire edge
of a thin strip of wood as above.

Are there any tricks? (such as maybe temporarily attaching it to
another piece of wood)

Round the edge of a thick strip and then make it a thin strip.

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

Nova writes:

blueman wrote:
I am trying to round over the edge of a 4ft long 1.5" x 3/8" strip of
hardwood using a 3/8" round-over bit.

Since the wood is so thin (3/8"), I am using my router table for
otherwise the bearing would extend below the wood (and in fact the
roundover diamter is the same as the thickness of the wood).

The problem is that I am having trouble doing so without causing jumps
& gouges in the edge.

The problem is particularly bad near the tail end where I get a rather big
jump when the strip leaves the infeed guide. I believe the problem is
due to the fact that when the entire edge is rounded over, only the
very bottom edge of the strip is touching the guide which makes
alignment very difficult.

So, I am looking for a reliable way of rounding over the entire edge
of a thin strip of wood as above.

Are there any tricks? (such as maybe temporarily attaching it to
another piece of wood)

Round the edge of a thick strip and then make it a thin strip.

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA


Unfortunately, I already cut the strips (and it's from white oak so
expensive)...

blueman writes:
I am trying to round over the edge of a 4ft long 1.5" x 3/8" strip of
hardwood using a 3/8" round-over bit.

Since the wood is so thin (3/8"), I am using my router table for
otherwise the bearing would extend below the wood (and in fact the
roundover diamter is the same as the thickness of the wood).

The problem is that I am having trouble doing so without causing jumps
& gouges in the edge.

The problem is particularly bad near the tail end where I get a rather big
jump when the strip leaves the infeed guide. I believe the problem is
due to the fact that when the entire edge is rounded over, only the
very bottom edge of the strip is touching the guide which makes
alignment very difficult.

So, I am looking for a reliable way of rounding over the entire edge
of a thin strip of wood as above.

Are there any tricks? (such as maybe temporarily attaching it to
another piece of wood)

I'm thinking of doing the following:
Use my TS dado head to carve out a rabbit in 3/4" MDF to precisely
fit the hardwood strips.

Then use double stick tape to secure the strips to the MDF board

Then use the router free-hand (no router table) with the plate
resting securely on the MDF board side and the bearing along
the MDF board edge.

Any better suggestions?

Thanks,
Jeff

"blueman" wrote in message
...
I am trying to round over the edge of a 4ft long 1.5" x 3/8" strip of
hardwood using a 3/8" round-over bit.

Since the wood is so thin (3/8"), I am using my router table for
otherwise the bearing would extend below the wood (and in fact the
roundover diamter is the same as the thickness of the wood).

The problem is that I am having trouble doing so without causing jumps
& gouges in the edge.

The problem is particularly bad near the tail end where I get a rather big
jump when the strip leaves the infeed guide. I believe the problem is
due to the fact that when the entire edge is rounded over, only the
very bottom edge of the strip is touching the guide which makes
alignment very difficult.

So, I am looking for a reliable way of rounding over the entire edge
of a thin strip of wood as above.

Are there any tricks? (such as maybe temporarily attaching it to
another piece of wood)


If the wood is thin and you having the most problems at the end be sure to
support the wood all the way through to the end. If the wood vibrates or
slightly pushes away from the fence the blade can gouge and chip the
surface. Keep the wood pushed firmly against the fence and close the gap on
the fence at the bit.
Additionally take slow and shallower cuts.

"blueman" wrote:

Unfortunately, I already cut the strips (and it's from white oak so
expensive)...

As compared to a trip to the E/R when you F**K UP?

Lew

Having done this before....

Get a steel ruler.

Rotate the bit so that the cutter that cuts the least (on my bit,
that's the part nearest the bearing) is at the "peak" of it's swing
(i.e. deepest into the wood).

Position the ruler along the fence so that it crosses the bit right at
that part of the bit's cutting edge.

If the bit sticks out too far, the ruler will "rock" a little, tapping
first the infeed then outfeed parts of the fence.

If the bit is too far in, the ruler won't touch the cutting edge.

I have an incra fence, so I just micro-adjust it from "rocks" to just
barely "doesn't rock" and then I know that the fence will support the
wood after it's cut without interfering with the shape of the cut.

On Wed, 14 May 2008 18:19:07 GMT, blueman wrote:


Are there any tricks? (such as maybe temporarily attaching it to
another piece of wood)

Use a bull nose bit instead of the round over. You'll need to shim
the outfeed fence to make up for removed material.

I've made miles of beading to wrap around door trim this way.

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** http://www.bburke.com/woodworking.html **
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I've never had a lot of trust in double sided tape... My fingers are more
valuable than a little time.
If this was me, I'd tack glue the piece to a more substantial back-up piece
and then route the round over, then cut the pieces back apart.


"blueman" wrote in message
...
blueman writes:
I am trying to round over the edge of a 4ft long 1.5" x 3/8" strip of
hardwood using a 3/8" round-over bit.

Since the wood is so thin (3/8"), I am using my router table for
otherwise the bearing would extend below the wood (and in fact the
roundover diamter is the same as the thickness of the wood).

The problem is that I am having trouble doing so without causing jumps
& gouges in the edge.

The problem is particularly bad near the tail end where I get a rather
big
jump when the strip leaves the infeed guide. I believe the problem is
due to the fact that when the entire edge is rounded over, only the
very bottom edge of the strip is touching the guide which makes
alignment very difficult.

So, I am looking for a reliable way of rounding over the entire edge
of a thin strip of wood as above.

Are there any tricks? (such as maybe temporarily attaching it to
another piece of wood)

I'm thinking of doing the following:
Use my TS dado head to carve out a rabbit in 3/4" MDF to precisely
fit the hardwood strips.

Then use double stick tape to secure the strips to the MDF board

Then use the router free-hand (no router table) with the plate
resting securely on the MDF board side and the bearing along
the MDF board edge.

Any better suggestions?

Thanks,
Jeff

"Roger King" writes:
I've never had a lot of trust in double sided tape... My fingers are more
valuable than a little time.
If this was me, I'd tack glue the piece to a more substantial back-up piece
and then route the round over, then cut the pieces back apart.

Good point, I'll try hot melt glue

Dave Balderstone writes:
In article , blueman
wrote:

I'm thinking of doing the following:
Use my TS dado head to carve out a rabbit in 3/4" MDF to precisely
fit the hardwood strips.

Then use double stick tape to secure the strips to the MDF board

Then use the router free-hand (no router table) with the plate
resting securely on the MDF board side and the bearing along
the MDF board edge.

Any better suggestions?

Grind/shape a cabinet scraper to the profile you want, and do it by
hand. Safe, and you have complete control. It's only four feet, after
all.

--
Woodworking links and more at http://www.woodenwabbits.com

Unfortunately, I have to do about a total of 32 lineal feet (the
largest piece is about 4ft which is why I mentioned that number).

On 14 May 2008 17:41:15 -0400, DJ Delorie wrote:


Having done this before....

Get a steel ruler.

Rotate the bit so that the cutter that cuts the least (on my bit,
that's the part nearest the bearing) is at the "peak" of it's swing
(i.e. deepest into the wood).

Position the ruler along the fence so that it crosses the bit right at
that part of the bit's cutting edge.

Having noticed that the OP is doing the entire roundover from ONE
side, scratch my bullnose suggestion and listen to DJ!

I have an incra fence, so I just micro-adjust it from "rocks" to just
barely "doesn't rock" and then I know that the fence will support the
wood after it's cut without interfering with the shape of the cut.

I have a typical clamp-down fence (Rousseau), adjusted with mallet
taps, and can vouch for similar accuracy. So even if the OP has any
sort of "average" fence, lacking a high-end version, DJ's method
should work well.

This is the same method I use for bullnoses, triple beads, etc...
where there is no bearing to guide the bit. A shim behind the outfeed
side of the fence will probably be necessary if the OP does not have a
fence as adjustable as an Incra. I've used sheet styrene (from a
hobby shop .005-.010-.020-.040-.080 thicknesses from a $2-3 assortment
pack), beverage can stock, laminate scraps, sheets of paper, masking
tape, and my dado shims, to set the outfeed fence at one time or the
other.


---------------------------------------------
** http://www.bburke.com/woodworking.html **
---------------------------------------------

blueman writes:
blueman writes:
I am trying to round over the edge of a 4ft long 1.5" x 3/8" strip of
hardwood using a 3/8" round-over bit.

Since the wood is so thin (3/8"), I am using my router table for
otherwise the bearing would extend below the wood (and in fact the
roundover diamter is the same as the thickness of the wood).

The problem is that I am having trouble doing so without causing jumps
& gouges in the edge.

The problem is particularly bad near the tail end where I get a rather big
jump when the strip leaves the infeed guide. I believe the problem is
due to the fact that when the entire edge is rounded over, only the
very bottom edge of the strip is touching the guide which makes
alignment very difficult.

So, I am looking for a reliable way of rounding over the entire edge
of a thin strip of wood as above.

Are there any tricks? (such as maybe temporarily attaching it to
another piece of wood)

I'm thinking of doing the following:
Use my TS dado head to carve out a rabbit in 3/4" MDF to precisely
fit the hardwood strips.

Then use double stick tape to secure the strips to the MDF board

Then use the router free-hand (no router table) with the plate
resting securely on the MDF board side and the bearing along
the MDF board edge.

Any better suggestions?

Thanks,
Jeff

Did it today as above (but instead of double stick tape just used blue
painter's tape across the top -- plenty of strength since the tape
ran down the whole length of the strip).

Took about 15 min to make the MDF jig (mostly just setting up my dado
head).

Worked really well!

Thanks all for the advice and help!