How to best sand moldings? Also what's the best way to route moldings across
the grain in pine to minimize chipping? I tried all kinds of router speeds,
feed slower, feed faster but all profiles across the grain are far from
ideal. Along the grain they turn to be perfect and need not sending. I use
router table.

Backing board for routing the traditional direction but I found climb
cutting the troublesome end for an inch or so then routing the proper
direction solved tearout.

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 12:09:37 -0500, "Alexander Galkin"
wrote:

How to best sand moldings? Also what's the best way to route moldings across
the grain in pine to minimize chipping? I tried all kinds of router speeds,
feed slower, feed faster but all profiles across the grain are far from
ideal. Along the grain they turn to be perfect and need not sending. I use
router table.

Alexander Galkin wrote:

How to best sand moldings? Also what's the best way to route moldings across
the grain in pine to minimize chipping? I tried all kinds of router speeds,
feed slower, feed faster but all profiles across the grain are far from
ideal. Along the grain they turn to be perfect and need not sending. I use
router table.

For end shaping, cut the piece oversize width, do the ends first, then
trim to final width and shape w/ grain...depending on the
profile/specie/cutter, simply doing the ends first, then the sides may
be sufficient.

Of course, making a preliminary cut to remove as much waste as possible
via the table saw, not making the full depth cut all at once (if bit
profile allows it) and all the other "tricks" also come into play...

"Duane Bozarth" wrote in message
...
Alexander Galkin wrote:

How to best sand moldings? Also what's the best way to route moldings
across
the grain in pine to minimize chipping? I tried all kinds of router
speeds,
feed slower, feed faster but all profiles across the grain are far from
ideal. Along the grain they turn to be perfect and need not sending. I
use
router table.

For end shaping, cut the piece oversize width, do the ends first, then
trim to final width and shape w/ grain...depending on the
profile/specie/cutter, simply doing the ends first, then the sides may
be sufficient.

Of course, making a preliminary cut to remove as much waste as possible
via the table saw, not making the full depth cut all at once (if bit
profile allows it) and all the other "tricks" also come into play...

Like a super sharp carbide bit

TaskMule wrote:

....

Like a super sharp carbide bit

Actually, steel can be sharpened much more keenly than can carbide...it
just dulls more quickly on hard wood or (especially) man-made
materials. I continue to use steel shaper cutters almost exclusively
for that reason (plus I can resharpen them whereas it's nearly
impossible to do any real good on carbide) except, as noted, for either
long production runs or plywood, etc.

The quality of the bit itself is paramount, even more w/ carbide than
steel.

"Alexander Galkin" wrote in message
...
How to best sand moldings? Also what's the best way to route moldings
across
the grain in pine to minimize chipping?

Two passes. One ~3/32" shy of final, which can be done with a plexi fence
cover. Remove cover for final.

I tried all kinds of router speeds,
feed slower, feed faster but all profiles across the grain are far from
ideal. Along the grain they turn to be perfect and need not sending. I use
router table.


Other thing I've found helpful, Sasha, is to clean the bit after, giving it
a touch-up on the faces with a 400-grit diamond paddle after cleaning.
Means I'm ready to cut when impatience is highest.