How does the Woodrat do repeated cuts?

[rsser]

Hi folks,

I've trawled through websites and forum discussions and am waiting for the Woodrat DVD.

For repeated dovetail cuts it seems you mark out one from a trial cut as a template but I don't understand how the device enables you to make successive evenly spaced cuts. Do you have to measure each one?

Advice appreciated so I can make a purchase decision.

[NewLou]

Gidday :)

The best advise I can give is watch the video. All becomes clear once you get your head around how the Rat is used. Theres a steep learning kerb in regards to becoming a proficient ratter.

But once reached the potential and flexability of this wonderful joinery machine become aparent.

REgards Lou:)

[MICKYG]

Ern

A Woodrat is basically a moving horizontal vice which you can control to your left or right for about 800 or 900 mm total with a small handle which you turn and for quite a lot of its capability holds the piece of timber, and the router sits on a horizontal plate on top which moves back and forth away from you. IE: clamp piece of wood in vice and to align where you wish to cut, move left or right, pull the router towards yourself, presto magic cut made, move the vice a pre determined amount, and you can make another cut, really comes down to repetive measurement being able to be replicated. If you move the vice either way whilst the cutter is in the timber you will elongate the cut

It has quite a few plastic cams and pieces which allow you to dial in the previous settings. I have noticed that the Woodrat is now only available from the manufacturer, no more Carba - Tec dealers so a change in strategy. There used to be a useful demo site on the internet which ran you through its capabilities, so a search for wood rat may dig this up. Yet another usefull gadget and probably simplified a bit in this post.

Regards Mike:wink:

woodshopdemos.com has good information worth reading and viewing

[carbatecwa]

Ern,
If it helps Ern, email me your address and I will send you a video of the woodrat. I also have a woodrat of my own (My favorite means of doing dovetails and mortice and tenons) so if you need any help give us a call on 0893454522 or send me an email.
Regards
Garry

[rsser]

Many thanks folks for your generous replies.

The Woodrat sure seems to be a capable device and I don't mind a learning curve.

Garry: PM sent.

[rsser]

Well I've spent another day dipping into the manual, reading websites and thinking about practicalities like 'how am I going to find some wall space?!'. I still can't understand how the repeated cuts are organised but will take that on faith.

Another query is about router bits. I'm interested in doing M&T, dovetails and sliding dovetails. I understand that you can use any makers bit, that long shanks are a good idea, and for fine dovetails HSS is needed.

The factory set however is pretty pricey. Has anyone tried the Chipsfly.com sets? Or locally sourced carbide spiral upcut bits?

Just as an ironic aside the factory website (which is pretty useful) has a PDF outlining how you can fabricate a bench stand for the Rat, all using an already mounted Rat.

[NewLou]

Gidday Rsser

You can pretty much use any bit you like baring the larger types designed for frame and panel work etc etc

The advantage of the HSS bits custom made by Woodrat is that they give the closest resemblance to hand cut Dovetails on the market.

In reality like anything you get what you pay for. I use the Woodrat bits n reckon they are worth every cent.

I get the best results for mortising & tenoning from carbide spiral bits. BUT also get great results from long shank standard straight bits which are probably more economical.

Build up your bits as you need them. The best advise I can give for any form of router work is to build up the best quality set you can afford as the need arises.

REgards Lou:)

[rsser]

Thanks Lou. Will the small diam spiral bits still cut big tenons?

[NewLou]

Hey rsser:)

I don't use anything under a 1/2 inch spiral upcut/ or long shank straight bit for tenon work. I have used 1/4 & 1/8 inch bits but have noticed that you can really feel n hear the bit working hard....................sometimes seemingly to the edge of their tolerances.

I often worried that I'd get a bit failure so scrapped the practice all-together of using under 1/2 inch bits for heavy tenon work ie: light production runs & hardwoods.

I've cut all my large tenons with 1/2 inch spiral upcut bits. You need a long shank bit and a solid router with a decent plunge depth to get the most outta integral tenon work.

I've evolved from using the rat as a tenoner (Unless I really want an integral tenon in my joinery) prefering to use the RAT as a mortiser.

I profile loose tenons with a half 1/2" bullnose bit on the router table n mortise with the RAT................Resulting in strong accurate loose tenon joinery work. Get a few bits to match the size of festool domino's n you got the best of both worlds.

REgards Lou:)

[carbatecwa]

Ern,
If you decide to buy the woodrat make sure you check out the prices for the cutter sets on our web site. We are selling off the remaining sets and single cutters quite well discounted, certainly cheaper than buying them from England.
Regards
Garry

[rsser]

Thanks for the heads up Garry. (Hope the Login works; didn't earlier this morning).

Can you recommend a selection to begin with?

[Krazee]

Ern,

If you are purchasing Woodrat bits check shank size carefully. I bought some "woodrat' bits which turned out ot be 8mm not 3/8 as I thought. Took a while before I could get a 8 mm collet for my Makita but and may not be so easy for some other brands.

Geoff

[carbatecwa]

Ern,
When we were selling the WR5 most of the customers opted for the Cutter set 2. This gave you the most varity of the dovetail cutters and straight cutters. For the dovetail cutters I picked mine using the thickness of the wood that i knew i was going to use ie 6mm, 9mm 12mm and 19mm This translates to woodrat cutters wr-8-7-7-4, wr-8-7-12-6, wr-8-14-6 and wr-8-7-20-10. ( wr = woodrat, 8 = shank dia, 7 = 1:7 slope, 7 = 7mm long cutting edge and 4 = dia of the cutter at the widest.) You probably have all the straight cutters allready but for chopping out the mortice's I have to agree with Lou. I use a cmt upcut spiral cutter 191-507-11, dam expensive but a wicked cutter to use.
Ern the woodrat cutters are all high speed steel, the advantage is that you can sharpen them yourself, they will take a sharper edge than tungsten but wont hold it as long as tungsten. The straight cutters in the set 2 are all 50mm long cutting edge approx 75mm overall, they plunge better than standard tct cutters but not as well as the spiral.
The other small hiccup is that woodrat do 1/2 inch and 8mm shank cutters, they also supply a very good 1/2 to 1/4 and 1/2 to 8mm reducers with cutter set 2.
Hope this is of some help.
regards
Garry
A verry Safe and Happy Easter to All

[NewLou]

Yikes:- :- :-

Just relised I refered to the 8mm bits as 1/8 sorry if I caused any confusion.

Must admit once you learn how its a great feeling honing a HSS bit to a super fine edge..............I'm a bees (#&#@^#% from almost prefering the HSS bits.................nothin worse than blunt carbide!!!!

REgards Lou:D :D :D

[rsser]

Thanks guys. It's good to benefit from your experience.

No harm done Lou. With metric/imperial mixes I've learned to measure twice, cut once and when buying check three times.

So sharpening straight cutters is a matter of running a diamond paddle down the flute?

[rsser]

Garry, the video arrived and it's a great help visualising what the Rat does. Many thanks.

Think I'll email the Rat folk and suggest they get some streaming video happening on their web site. I reckon it will make them some sales.

[NewLou]

So sharpening straight cutters is a matter of running a diamond paddle down the flute?

Sorry rsser..........just noticed your post. I'll do a few posts in my Woodrat thread next time I sharpen them. If you've got your head around basic sharpening tecnique & Honing is a piece a cake.

You can get em sssssssssoooooooooo Sharp!

REgards Lou:D :D :D