How to recreate this router bit detail...

[Greg Cuetara]

I am currently in the process of building a crib and trying to create this detail at the end of the slats. I have a 1/2" thick slat and trying to fit it into a 3/8" mortise.

31121-01-500.jpg

I don't really want to buy a $100 router bit right now. I have a small round nose bit that I can use but it is not great quality. I was thinking of using my tenoning jig to cut the ends down to an even thickness....then using the bandsaw to cut the curve....and my spindle sander to clean it up. I have 40 slats to do which is 80 ends.

Anyone else have any ideas how to make it any easier or a better way to cut these?

Thanks for the help.
Greg

[Joe Chritz]

I expect any raised panel cove bit should do the trick.

80 spindles by hand seems like a bit of work that a bit would pay for quickly. You can get cheaper raised panel bits. However, if you think you will ever be doing any 5 piece doors I would spring for a quality set.

You could redesign and build it similar to a mission bed where the rails are thicker than the stiles and put together with mortise and tenons. Those tenons are easy to do on a tablesaw and the mortises can be done with a simple router jig.

If you really want to do something like shown without the proper tool you may be able to rabbit the end of the stile and use as wide a cove bit as possible then hit them quick on the spindle.

Joe

[tom martin]

Greg,
Do you have access to a jointer?

[Sonny Edmonds]

If you have a table saw you can cove the wood the old fashioned way.
Stuff like coved crown molding was done by feeding the stock acrossed a slightly raised running blade at an angle.
Then sand.

Watch this

You could buy or build your own jig.

[Bob Coleman]

The table saw method always seemed to me to be pretty dangerous. Lots of potential for binding and kickback. Anyone who's done it before want to comment?

[Sonny Edmonds]

Obviously Bob, you haven't watched the video.
And yes, I've done it.

[David DeCristoforo]

If this was a long cut I would second sonny's table saw suggestion. But trying to do that on the ends of slats? I'm not too keen on that. But if you have a bandsaw and a tenoning jig and a spindle sander... I think you could do 40 slats in a couple of hours.

[Vince Shriver]

The table saw method always seemed to me to be pretty dangerous. Lots of potential for binding and kickback. Anyone who's done it before want to comment?

I've done it - works great, and with that Rockler jig I'd think it would be a lot easier. As with all table saw cuts be alert.

[Greg Cuetara]

It would be nice to just buy a router bit and do the job but it is for a friend and I am being kinda cheap right now. Regarding trying to do this on the TS....the slats I am working with are about 2" wide and I want to do this on the end so that is really not an option right now. I have done cove work previously and it worked out well but this is really not the right place right now.

Tom, I do have access to a Jointer.

One option I do have is that I can just do a traditional M&T joint here rather than do something fancy. I was thinking it would look nicer to have this cove detail.

These slats are going into mortises.

[Burt Waddell]

Obviously Bob, you haven't watched the video.
And yes, I've done it.

Sonny,

That jig is great for cutting the length of a board such as for crown molding but I question using it for a cross cut on a board that is 2" wide.

If I understand he is doing this to fit the ends of slats into a dado.

A crosscut won't work in that jig.

Burt

[Greg Cuetara]

Burt,
You are correct. I am basically trying to use this router bit to make a tenon to fit into a mortise I will cut in the rails. I am thinking David is correct that I just need to suck it up and do this by hand on the TS, Bandsaw and spindle sander...if we don't lose power today then I will try to knock these out between my son's naps.
Thanks for the help.
Greg

[Ted Shrader]

The table saw method always seemed to me to be pretty dangerous. Lots of potential for binding and kickback. Anyone who's done it before want to comment?

Bob -

I have cut coves numerous times. Watch the video. You make many shallow cuts, the work piece is held between auxiliary fences clamped the saw table top.

Since the coves are to be on the end of the slats (as discussed in this thread), the TS method is not recommended in this case.

An advantage of this type of cove cut is you can adjust the cove profile by varying the angle of feed, the angle of blade tilt and the size of the blade. A reference for the shape is here: Cove Cut Calculator.

Be sure to use push sticks/block to feed the wood - and feed slowly. You will be surprised at how little sanding is required. You actually get a pretty decent surface with the correct feed rate.

Regards,
Ted

[Jim Kountz]

Why not just get a cheaper bit?? You can buy that bit for ALOT less than $100. SHop around.

[Mike Cutler]

The table saw method always seemed to me to be pretty dangerous. Lots of potential for binding and kickback. Anyone who's done it before want to comment?

Bob

It actually can be done pretty safely. It is a little time consuming though, so you would want to a bunch of it all at once
In that video the operator appears to be pushing the material through the saw pretty fast. What you're not seeing is that a series of grooves were ripped along the length first before the material was pushed through at an angle that conformed to the desired curve, and he was on the final cut.
Once the grooves are cut a temporary fence is laid across the tablesaw and clamped into position. The blade is raised slightly and the material pushed through. This process is repeated until the final desired curve is obtained. The saw blade itself is never really engaging very much material on a single pass, and the grooves cut along the length have actually relieved most of the material.

If you ever do try it, remember that a tablesaw blade doesn't always move straight up and down. It comes forward and up. This requires that the temporary fence may need to be adjusted as you go to obtain the proper cove.

[Byron Trantham]

Greg,
Try www.mlcswoodworking.com They have a large selection and the prices are very good.

I built a crib for my grandson a few years back and I know what you are up againt. Believe me, you will be glad you bought a router bit for this application.