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13th January 2023, 03:51 PM #1New Member
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Bowl end of large diameter dowel on router table
Hi all, first time posting.
I was hoping you may be able to assist a noob with a routing question. I want to bowl the end of some 42mm dowel like the below image.
I have purchased a large Half Core Box Bit for my router table and was planning on holding the dowel vertically and winding the router head upwards to achieve the desired bowl depth. Does this sound like the best method and if so how would I hold the dowel vertically?
Thanks!
chair.jpg
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13th January 2023 03:51 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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13th January 2023, 11:52 PM #2
Welcome to the forums! That looks to be an interesting project you've taken on.
Personally, I have serious doubts that this can be done safely on a router. Not without some serious investment in jigs to safely hold and feed the material.
Apart from my safety concerns, this would be basically a plunge cut into end-grain material and I believe you'd have major problems with parts of the lip splintering away. You could possibly drill a 42mm hole in a 1"(ish) thick offcut to make a re-inforcing collar while you do the routing but I'd take a long look at other approaches if I were you.
I suspect that the pictured items were turned from square section stock on a lathe, with the end being dished first and then the length being rounded. I don't think I'd want to turn them out in commercial quantities in any other way, unless I had access to a dedicated, fully guarded, hands -off automatic machine.
Without access to a lathe - or if I had to use round stock - I'd possibly look at using a drill press instead. I'd work out the profile I wanted, then use drill bits of increasing diameter to create a "stepped" dish. The steps could then be sanded out to give the final curve, or if I was in a rush I could use a modified spade bit (one I ground to profile) to remove the bulk of the steps before final sanding.
I know this is a more complex, slower process... but it's much more controllable.
I'm sure that if you ask on these forums for alternative methods, eventually someone will suggest a method that you'd feel comfortable with.
.
- Andy Mc
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14th January 2023, 12:57 AM #3
I would agree that plunging the end grain on a router table would result in tear out or damage to the perimeter lip. Other than turning on a lathe the only other powered method I can think of would be a wood carving ball gouge.
Dremel option may be the safer bet for smaller projects if it's only a few to do. Could rough it out with a Dremel using the bit in link below and then sand to final shape.
High Speed Cutter 7,8 mm Carving/Engraving/Routing | Dremel
Similar really to making a spoon. See Dremel's guide in the following link for the required tools and attachments.
Step-by-Step Guide to Carving a Wooden Spoon | Dremel
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14th January 2023, 09:09 AM #4
Don't do it; I'm in agreement with the others in that there is no safe way to perform a vertical plunge cut onto a core bit using a domestic router table.
Why concave? That to me smacks of form over function; I'm imagining the furniture designer spruiking this as "no-one else does this so it'll stand out as design feature".... Mind you I'm also unimpressed by the sticky-out stainless steel pins that perform double duty as a method of mounting the fabric arm rests and providing a convenient method of bruising thighs.
A concave depression will hold dust and dirt; is less resilient to knocks etc and it wouldn't be particularly comfortable to put you hand on to help you get in and out of the chair. A rounded over end makes much more sense and is much easier to produce.Nothing succeeds like a budgie without a beak.
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