Routing Chair Rail Molding

**Dean** · 18th June 2009, 06:25 PM

Just after some advice or tips...

Have a nice one piece Freud Chair Rail Molding bit - http://freudtools.com/p-186-chair-rail-bits.aspx

Trying to figure out the best way of supporting the workpiece as I run it past the bit... it needs to be firm against the fence and held down to the table to produce an even rail molding without bumps, dips or deformities

. I tried a setup today with featherboards holding the piece against the fence and down to the table but it seemed to get a lot of chattering and ended up with an uneven surface... Wasn't too bad but I am sure I can do better! This was on a farily light router table (because it had the high fence) and I think the chattering was somewhat a result of a less than solid routing surface and router table.

Planning on trying the cast iron router table next which should result in less vibration and hopefully a better result... (i was taking light cuts with same results) but just wondering if there is a better way than using featherboards, particularly with regards to holding the work against the fence... I'm thinking maybe an outer fence where the work rides between the outer fence and the router fence. Kind of sandwiched in between. First thought was that it sounded a bit dangerous wedging the work between two fences, but this is kinda what the featherboards are doing anyway??

Planning on running 3m long pieces through to make and install chair rail in mum's house. Its onlu crapiata pine but it will be painted over and only decorative, not functional rail.

Any advice or tips welcome, otherwise I'll just keep trying with featherboards alone...

**Fencepost2** · 18th June 2009, 06:31 PM

I think probably the idea of two fences wouldn't overcome the problem. With a 3 metre length of rail there would be some variation in width of the rail which would mean that your fences would have to have enough clearance to allow you to slide the rail between them. This "slack" would likely not give enough firm control to eliminate the chatter. Heavier feather boards would be my guess at the solution.

**gidgee 1** · 19th June 2009, 07:58 AM

Hi Dean
Have you tried without the featherboards?
cheers
gidgee 1

**Dean** · 19th June 2009, 09:37 AM

No havent tried without featherboards yet. Think it might be difficult to keep control of a long 3m piece without them though...
However, I think the problem may be with the outfeed support, or lack of. I forgot to provide some extra support on the outfeed for the bottom of the cut where a lot of material is removed... This might be causing the chattering giving a poor result. Have to sort something out for that and re-test

Fencepost: Yes probably right, varying thickness might make that dual fence idea unworkable.

**Cruzi** · 19th June 2009, 09:15 PM

Freud bits are usually much heavier than equivalent bits from other companies and thus tend to run more smoothly

Sometimes bit chatter can be caused by the grain direction, try running the timber through from the other end, the chatter you describe can also be caused by the work piece being to light for the size of the cut as well. If it happens even with the lightest of cuts, you may need to attach your work piece to a heavier backing board, but most times really reducing your cut depth helps, taking up to 6 passes to get full depth.

**malb** · 19th June 2009, 09:26 PM

Might be a dumb question Dean, but are you taking multiple light cuts to generate the profile, or a single full depth cut? I am thinking that due to the amount of wood being removed, multiple light cuts might be a better option.

Another suggestion would be to use a straight uniform grained material, rather than crapiata, and to work from substantial cross sections for rigidity, forming the profile on both edges, then ripping to the required thickness. More waste ultimately, but the stock would be more rigid and less likely to 'chatter' while machining.

Of course a set of temporary in/out feed benches would also be advantageous as well.

**rightendup** · 21st June 2009, 04:10 AM

I'm thinking to make the profile first and then rip the stock to thickness.
This gives you more rigidity and more wood to absorb the vibration.
It would also permit you to run the stock all the way through and then one more pass but run through as a "climb cut".

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