Thread: free hand sighn routing.

Hi Weisey,

Couldn't seem to get your pic to open

You are better than me then, every time I try freehand I go everywhere but where I want to go.

What wood are you routing?
What bit you using?
and what type / size router???

Cheers,

here is teh link https://www.woodworkforums.com/attach...5&d=1240819712

that wood is cadagi but i have done ironbark, spotty hoop pine, camphor, mdf.
i am using a 1200w gmc router.
bits well all types. on that sighn i hvae used a 16mm streight bit, a 6mm streithg bit, a v grove bit.

Beats me how you do it. My routers are like riding a wild horse if I don't have something to guide it. How do you make the letters come out black?

its really easy.

i rout it out. spray the general area with paint then sand teh top back. it leaves nice crisp lines.

Another dvantage over jigs is you can use any fancy lettering you want and you can whack graphics in too.

Its a bit harder to do when the timber has hard and soft rings in it like radiata or oregon,

WRC is great.

Originally Posted by BrettC

.........
You are better than me then, every time I try freehand I go everywhere but where I want to go.
.....

I reckon Carl would have one heck of a tight grip on the router to do all that free hand.

Nice work Carl, and a good way to create special effects, like the "swoosh" of "WEISYS." But how many predecessor mistakes did it take to reach this level of proficiency? The templates work almost as well for first timers, especially in misbehaving wood.

Cheers,
Joe

Looks great Carl, good job mate!

i think iv done about 4 sighns like this.

basicly i can do any fornt and any size you can print out of the computer. thats the problem with temlates u have to have so many or everything is the same.

Hi Carl. I have been freehanding signs for a while now and like you find it easy once you get the 'feel' for the router. I also print out the signs from the computer and transfer them to the timber with carbon paper. did you cut around the letters with a kraft knife? This aids in a crisp edge to the letter as it peels away as the cutter gets close to it. I am afraid I couldn't see you photo for some reason but from the responses it sounds good. Here is one of my signs which now hangs on my workshop.

i juststic the paper to teh timber with spray glue and rout away.

Weisy, just a small tiny thing if you are going to have your signage up somewhere so the public know what you offer. You need an apostrophe after the y in your name

Good stuff with the freehand though There's no way I could do that with my TR-12, it would too easily run off in any direction it likes with all its torque.

That's a great sign Carl. I love the primary title, very 1930's.

Mailee that must have been a task, all that reverse block?

Waldo, I'm with you. I have a TR12. Once you get the courage to turn it on you gotta think about how you're gonna turn it off again!

I do a bit of freehand routing when the mood strikes me - nothing as pretty as mailee's though. Never had a problem with the router (1400W Triton) skipping away on me, but it will try to follow the grain/faults in harder woods. Jarrah fence posts are a bit tricky.

Picked up a less beefy Makita router at an auction recently which is built a bit better for the job - main handle is a pistol-grip style which is much more controllable than the big knobs high on the Triton.