Will This Router Do?

[gilscales]

Just have to make sure to cut on the right edge to avoid chipout!

The right edge being the bearing of the bit on the cut edge of the plywood, and I found that if you keep the roundover bit set about 1/64" higher than flush there is no danger of chip out at all, and after you sand you cannot tell any difference in the finished profile

[ChrisDowning]

+1 That's so annoying when you have to go back and fill a chip. However if you are covering with carpet or tolez your routing doesn't have to be varnished furniture quality anyway. It's a nice to have not a must have.

[gilscales]

It's a nice to have not a must have.

Huh...?

[Radian]

+1 That's so annoying when you have to go back and fill a chip. However if you are covering with carpet or tolez your routing doesn't have to be varnished furniture quality anyway. It's a nice to have not a must have.

Huh...?

ROFL

[Tom Smit]

It's a nice to have not a must have.

Huh...?

It's a "nice-to-have", not a "must-have".

[ChrisDowning]

What I mean Radian is that if you push the router round the cab edge the wrong way the bit chips out pieces from the edge. You have to keep the edge to the right to stop this happening - I think - please someone correct me if that's wrong. If the router goes the other way it tends to pull out pieces of wood and you have to go back and fill them or the cloth or tolex sinks into the hole.

[David Carter]

+1 That's so annoying when you have to go back and fill a chip. However if you are covering with carpet or tolez your routing doesn't have to be varnished furniture quality anyway. It's a nice to have not a must have.

You can certainly avoid tear-out on the corners by being careful, but a small amount isn't an issue even with a Duratex finish if your going to be covering the corners with plastic or metal corner protectors.

[gilscales]

What I mean Radian is that if you push the router round the cab edge the wrong way the bit chips out pieces from the edge. You have to keep the edge to the right to stop this happening - I think - please someone correct me if that's wrong. If the router goes the other way it tends to pull out pieces of wood and you have to go back and fill them or the cloth or tolex sinks into the hole.

I don't know if you mean this but the routers leading edge of the blade must always do the cutting so that means that the router must be used in a counter clockwise motion as the bit turns clockwise, I found out the hard way that if the bit bearing rides on the face of the plywood then you get chip out, if the bit bearing rides on the ply edge and the bit is set about 1/64" high in the router then no chip out, using a 1/2" roundover bit this 1/64" is not noticable on the profile especially after sanding

[ChrisDowning]

+1 That's pretty much what I do as well. You need to keep the bit from cutting the face of the ply. Of course you can do two passes at it from both angles so you don't ever see and adge to your rounding. I think the routing is the most difficult part of building. It's so easy to get it wrong - not that you can't repair it - but it's just tricky. I wouldn't advise anyone to have a go at routing without some training - routers can be dangerous - these things aren't power drills or electric saws - they are the next step up in danger.

[gilscales]

+1 That's pretty much what I do as well. You need to keep the bit from cutting the face of the ply. Of course you can do two passes at it from both angles so you don't ever see and adge to your rounding. I think the routing is the most difficult part of building. It's so easy to get it wrong - not that you can't repair it - but it's just tricky. I wouldn't advise anyone to have a go at routing without some training - routers can be dangerous - these things aren't power drills or electric saws - they are the next step up in danger.

if you route with the bearing on the face of the ply you still risk chip out even if you are only removing a small amount of material, at least in my experience, I like the Milwaukee router that I found on special for about $125 with the plunge base and 1/2" plus 1/4" collets, I think this one is really good for people without as much experience routing as it allows you to strap your hand into the router and you get a solid feel for the tool as you go around the corners
http://www.toolmarts.com/milwaukee_5615-24.html

[ChrisDowning]

Sounds good.

Get the best you can guys. In the UK we can get free health care - so chop your hand and you just have to toddle off to Emergency and Accidents and they'll fix you up. They'll even have a Beyonce look-alike stroke you furrowed brow whilst a Julia Roberts look-alike sews you up. Isn't free health care wonderful? ( It's not quite like that, but you get my drift.) You guys in the USA need to take more care. One slip and you'll wish you'd never started the project and spent $1000 on a ready made cab. Those medical bills aint funny.

[WB]

Isn't free health care wonderful?

Free? Is that really possible?

[gilscales]

Sounds good.

Get the best you can guys. In the UK we can get free health care - so chop your hand and you just have to toddle off to Emergency and Accidents and they'll fix you up. They'll even have a Beyonce look-alike stroke you furrowed brow whilst a Julia Roberts look-alike sews you up. Isn't free health care wonderful? ( It's not quite like that, but you get my drift.) You guys in the USA need to take more care. One slip and you'll wish you'd never started the project and spent $1000 on a ready made cab. Those medical bills aint funny.

We have free health care in the US also (if your an illegal alien)

[bzb]

What I mean Radian is that if you push the router round the cab edge the wrong way the bit chips out pieces from the edge. You have to keep the edge to the right to stop this happening - I think - please someone correct me if that's wrong. If the router goes the other way it tends to pull out pieces of wood and you have to go back and fill them or the cloth or tolex sinks into the hole.

Well, "back cuts" are a standard technique for the left edge on the outside profile - just go slow and shallow. However, it won't just produce chipout if you run the wrong way on a long cut - it's possible it'll dig in and rip out your wood... not to mention run away from you risking injury.

But the easiest way to remember which way to push the routers is to think of a picture frame. On the outside edges, you go counter-clockwise. Inside edges, go clockwise. A little back cut is fine for getting a nice edge on the corners.

[ChrisDowning]

OK it's not really free as you pay for it through tax, but as everone pays it feels free. It's the same anywhere in Europe, so you can go to any European Union country and get 'free' care. Culturally you system looks pretty scarey. Which is why so often Brits will work in the USA but retire to Europe. You'll never get wiped out by medical bills here. You can still pay if you want and get prettier nurses and better furniture - but the doctors will generall be the same ones you see in the national Health scheme.

Well, that's getting pretty political considering what you guys are getting thorough on health right now. Enough or Bill will expel me.