serious problem when trimming with the router and table

**EMistral** · 21st October 2004, 03:52 PM

Hi all,

I have around 16 pieces of timber which are 1m long, 1.8cm wide and 2cm high
I need to trim them all along because they were cut with the saw and I have some marks I want to remove.
These pieces are used in a japanese lantern (sort of mini shoji screen for those who knows)

I used the router and the table, adjusted the router height slightly over 2cm which is almost the height of the trim router bit, then set up the fence on the table as follows (based on the user's manual):

I needed to remove 0.5mm per pass so I used the 2 1.5mm shims for the upper part of the fence and then the 2 other 1mm for the lower part of the fence. The difference is therefore 0.5mm.
Then I followed the manual to align the router and the upper part of the fence (I used a metal ruler or straight piece of wood which I put against the mdf of the upper part of the fence and the router bit, adjust the fence so that the ruler is in contact with the router bit and the upper mdf of the fence only, etc...)

Then I installed the plastic push sticks on the top of the fence and on the side so that the piece of wood is secured vertically and horizontally.

Then I swicthed the router on (speed is set to 4-5).
First the trimming is not soft - you can see the mark.
I am assuming that this is probably due to the fact that 2cm is probably too much .
But I can fix this problem with a sander later on.

My main concern is when I have almost finished trimming the piece and the end is passing the router bit.
For an unknown reason, it seems the wood is suddenly pushed toward the router bit which removes a bigger chunk of wood although I am holding firmly the wood againt the upper mdf.
so in the end, the timber wood is trimmed all along but at both ends it is curved due to the router bit removing more material.
It is pretty hard to explain but I am sure some of you have had this problem
So it means that I always have to cut a bit of extra lengthwise and this which annoying.

The wood is not thick enough to allow me to use the second method which involves the table saw fence.

Any suggestion?
Thanks
Sorry for the poor explanation

**silentC** · 21st October 2004, 04:31 PM

It sounds to me like the outfeed side of the fence is not aligned with the cutting diameter of the router bit. I'm not familiar with the fence setup on the new Triton table (mine is the old one which had a proper split fence) but it certainly sounds like a symptom of that to me.

**barnsey** · 21st October 2004, 04:42 PM

EMistral

I found similar results from my Triton Table when I first set it up. I found that the fence was V-shaped by a couple of mm's. Try checking the length of the fence with a good straight edge with all the shims removed.

It fixed mine but I had to remove the MDF bits and straighten the fence, then put it all back together

Using the shims can also allow dirt /wood chips to lodge behind the mdf so that can also give misalignment when shims are removed and refitted. I've found at times I need to remove the fence, the mdf, give every thing a good clean to get the alignment back.

Hope this helps,

Jamie

**EMistral** · 21st October 2004, 04:52 PM

Thanks guys,

what do you mean by V-shaped ?

**barnsey** · 21st October 2004, 05:02 PM

With router bit out of the way - run a straight edge along the entire length of the fence. On mine I found that the ends of the straight edge were touching the mdf but in the middle there was a gap at each half of the mdf. The fence had a v profile albeit a couple of mm.

**EMistral** · 21st October 2004, 05:08 PM

Hi Jamie,

Thanks for your help
Now I see what you mean and I think it is the problem I have
I remember having seen a discrepancy in the alignment

**Gumby** · 21st October 2004, 05:14 PM

I think you'll also need to check your router speed. The router is designed to run at full speed for anything up to a 1/2 inch straight bit. You then decrease speed from there as the bit size increases. It sounds like you are running too slow.

Also check where you are applying inward pressure to the timber as it moves through. You need to change the pressure and apply it to the outfeed side by the time the end of your timber passes the cutter.

**EMistral** · 21st October 2004, 05:31 PM

Hi Gumby,

that's what I usually do. I apply an inward pressure until I reach 2/3 of the timber I am trimming
Then I apply pressure on the outfeed side

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