Rounting against the grain

[KRH]

Hi all.

I intend to make a round table soon using solid timber edging with a glass recessed top (ie the timber will be a border about 75mm wide around the recessed glass).
My question is: What is the best way to avoid tearout when routing against the grain, which I expect is unavoidable on a round object, unless the work is turned over to always work with the grain? If this is the only solution so be it, but I would rather avoid having to do this. Could you please turn your collective wisdom to this problem and offer any alternate solutions.

Attached is a Sketchup of the tabletop.

Many thanks

[echnidna]

You need to climb cut. Hold the router firmly against the edge as the cutter will try to push away from the edge.

Rout the outside in a clockwise direction

and the inside in an anticlockwise direction

Don't try to rush the job, take many light cuts instead of trying to do it in 1 or 2 goes.

Practise on a scrap timber first.

[Honorary Bloke]

Echnidna is right on. You can climb cut it. BUT . .. be very careful, as climb cutting can be quite dangerous. The cutter wants to push away from the wood and onto your leg (or worse). :eek:

As was said, take it easy and do light passes. Keep your mind on it whilst your doing it. You don't say if you are using the router to cut the circle or just to clean up the edges.

[KRH]

Thanks for that. I am wary of climb cutting as I have been caught out before and nearly lost a finger.

My plan was to initially cut the radius close to the line with a jig saw, then finish with a router to provide a clean, rounded edge. The options for the routing I guess is to make a template cut, or to tether the router to a center point. I would avoid a climb cut on the former but it should be OK on a tethered cut.

If I decide to use the template method I would turn the piece over to make all cuts with the grain. The only downside with this method I can see is that the edge profile has to be symetrical and the template needs to be carefully positioned when changing sides.

Any other ideas appreciated.

Regards

[echnidna]

Climb cutting is safe if you only take light cuts
as there isn't enough timber in the cutter to cause a strong kickback

[Duke_Nukem]

Hi,

Im new here and this is my second thread...
can someone explain what Climb cutting is ???

Thanks,

George

[Honorary Bloke]

Hi,

Im new here and this is my second thread...
can someone explain what Climb cutting is ???

Thanks,

George

Yes. It is cutting the opposite way with a router (or sometimes even a saw) from the proper direction. With a router, for example, you would normally cut anti-clockwise on the exterior of a piece of wood, or left to right as you faced the edge. The cutter then tries to pull the router against the wood, which is a good thing.

In climb cutting, you route right to left, so the cutter is pushing itself away from the wood, which is inherently dangerous.

So why do it? Usually to avoid tear out on an end grain. Say you wanted to round over the edge of a board. If you start the router right at the end, there is a chance it will "catch" and tear out the end a bit. So, many workers will start the router about 25mm from the end, pull it back toward the left end (climb cutting) to the edge, then move ahead left to right as normal. It is hard to explain (for me at least) without a picture but I hope this makes some sense.

For routers upside down in a table, the proper direction is right to left and the climb cut is left to right.


HTH:)

[wheelinround]

:2tsup: Thanks HB I was wondering myself what climb cutting was I haven't heard this term before

[Duke_Nukem]

Yes. It is cutting the opposite way with a router (or sometimes even a saw) from the proper direction. With a router, for example, you would normally cut anti-clockwise on the exterior of a piece of wood, or left to right as you faced the edge. The cutter then tries to pull the router against the wood, which is a good thing.

In climb cutting, you route right to left, so the cutter is pushing itself away from the wood, which is inherently dangerous.

So why do it? Usually to avoid tear out on an end grain. Say you wanted to round over the edge of a board. If you start the router right at the end, there is a chance it will "catch" and tear out the end a bit. So, many workers will start the router about 25mm from the end, pull it back toward the left end (climb cutting) to the edge, then move ahead left to right as normal. It is hard to explain (for me at least) without a picture but I hope this makes some sense.

For routers upside down in a table, the proper direction is right to left and the climb cut is left to right.


HTH:)


Another cheers from me also.

Thanks... now i know ive been Climb cutting a little something i was doing :D:rolleyes::(


George

[John Saxton]

Climb cutting can often be termed a finishing cut also particularly when using the router across the grain as with dovetail jigs on end grain.

Basically its best to remove most of the material in the conventional manner with the router and then revert to a climbing cut to finish.Although this may not be necessary if you have already arrived at a satisfactory finish.

It needs stating that a climbing cut requires sharp tools not a dulled edge.

Cheers:)