Really Surprised Me

[Gordon Eyre]

I am making some large alphabet letters out of Baltic Birch. I had the 14" letters printed out on a plotter using Times New Roman font. I then carefully cut out the letters with an Xacto knife and then bonded it to some 1/4" tempered hard board with a spray on adhesive. I then cut out the letter with my scroll saw and sanded everything smooth. This made a great template.

Next I traced the letter onto 3/4" Baltic Birch plywood and rough cut the letter out with a bandsaw. I left about 1/8" on the Baltic Birch to clean up with a pattern bit on my router table. I tacked the hardboard template onto the back of the Baltic Birch pylwood to use as a template for the roller to ride on. My plan was to do this freehand around the entire letter.

I must admit that I had never routed the edge of Baltic Birch plywood so I was surprised at the force with which the bit grabbed the letter and ripped it our of my hand. I have done this many times with regular hard and soft woods with no problem Baltic Birch was another story. I almost ruined the letter not to mention what could have happened to my hand. With a firm grip and careful starting I was able to complete the letter but not sure I want to ever do that again. I was using a first class Jasada bit so that was not the problem. Trouble is I have 10 more letters to make.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Tom Rick]

Hi Gordan- I am done with freehand routing & especially work with one hand on router and other holding piece. I am now using a lift but before that I did not hesitate to mount the router under any handy bench.
Mount the router under a piece of 3/4" ply for a quick router table?

A start pin set into the table makes for a safer start of the cut and keeps the router from grabbing the work.

[David Christopher]

Gordon, can you use something like a holddown for a jointer...maybe hold the letter with it insted of your hand

[Gordon Eyre]

Hi Gordan- I am done with freehand routing & especially work with one hand on router and other holding piece. I am now using a lift but before that I did not hesitate to mount the router under any handy bench.
Mount the router under a piece of 3/4" ply for a quick router table?

A start pin set into the table makes for a safer start of the cut and keeps the router from grabbing the work.

Tom, I do have an excellent router table and was using it for this project. Must admit that I did not use a starter pin because of the intricate shape of the letter. You can bet that I will do so next time. I do think that this may be hard to do because of the many curves of the letter. Thanks for the suggestion.

Gordon, can you use something like a holddown for a jointer...maybe hold the letter with it insted of your hand

That certainly would be an alternative but would obscure the letter and I doubt this would have held the letter either. It literally ripped it out of my hands. Once I overcame the shock I was able to hold the letter while followed the template but never felt safe doing so. Thanks for taking the time to respond Dave.

[Lee Bidwell]

Would it be possible to hold your letters in a handscrew clamp while routing? This will give you more to hold on to.

[Van Huskey]

Would it be possible to hold your letters in a handscrew clamp while routing? This will give you more to hold on to.

Often with smaller pieces the clamp prevents you from do much if anything before the base runs into the clamp. A router pad or shelf liner material can help. In the end the best (and safest) way to do this is with a template sander on a drill press or the Veritas drum sander support system for the drill press.

[Gene Howe]

Microplane makes several sizes of template followers that would be quicker than a sanding drum for the 1/8" excess.

For the router method, you MIGHT consider using a flush trim bit instead of a pattern bit. That way the pattern would be on the top and a handle could be affixed.

The safest and surest method is to use a pin router system.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I left about 1/8" on the Baltic Birch to clean up with a pattern bit on my router table.

1/8" @ a time is pretty aggressive for a router.
Personally, I don't ever go above 1/16" and prefer to stay around 1/32".

I believe I'd run the template/plywood past a drum sander or OSS first, then clean it up on the router.

[Ted Wong]

I left about 1/8" on the Baltic Birch to clean up

!/8" is a lot to leave for clean up and if the parts are small you have less leverage to control the material. Try cutting closer to your line (within 1/32")
I used to do flush trimming all the time until we got a CNC router which just about did away with the need for templetes.
Having a sharp fresh bit helps a lot. Using a dirty or dull bit is inviting disaster. And depending on the thickness of the material bigger is better the bigger the stock. I use a 3/4" diameter bit for anything 1/2" thick and over and to minimize vibration and run out I like 1/2" shanks.

[Myk Rian]

A starter pin and a compression bit.

Personally, I would sand it smooth. Free-handing with a router can be tricky, as you have found out.

[Gordon Eyre]

Would it be possible to hold your letters in a handscrew clamp while routing? This will give you more to hold on to.

Thanks for your comment Lee. I think that this would be difficult since there are so many curves to the letters but I will seriously consider that.

Often with smaller pieces the clamp prevents you from do much if anything before the base runs into the clamp. A router pad or shelf liner material can help. In the end the best (and safest) way to do this is with a template sander on a drill press or the Veritas drum sander support system for the drill press.

Thanks Van, I have pretty well concluded that as well.

Microplane makes several sizes of template followers that would be quicker than a sanding drum for the 1/8" excess.

For the router method, you MIGHT consider using a flush trim bit instead of a pattern bit. That way the pattern would be on the top and a handle could be affixed.

The safest and surest method is to use a pin router system.

All good suggestions Gene. Actually I am using a flush trim bit with the template on top. If I try this again I will definitely use a pin.

1/8" @ a time is pretty aggressive for a router.
Personally, I don't ever go above 1/16" and prefer to stay around 1/32".

I believe I'd run the template/plywood past a drum sander or OSS first, then clean it up on the router.

Rich, you have really hit the nail on the head I think. I guess because I have done this with soft woods I failed to realize that the plywood would be much more difficult. I really need to get closer to the line with the bandsaw and/or a drum sander and will surely do that before I attempt this again. My problem is that I do not personally own a bandsaw so was using a friends and it takes some getting used to.

It really startled me to have the letter ripped from my hands.

!/8" is a lot to leave for clean up and if the parts are small you have less leverage to control the material. Try cutting closer to your line (within 1/32")
I used to do flush trimming all the time until we got a CNC router which just about did away with the need for templetes.
Having a sharp fresh bit helps a lot. Using a dirty or dull bit is inviting disaster. And depending on the thickness of the material bigger is better the bigger the stock. I use a 3/4" diameter bit for anything 1/2" thick and over and to minimize vibration and run out I like 1/2" shanks.

Ted, that is absolutely true as I learned the hard way. I did have a near new Jesada bit so that should not have been a problem I am now certain that I left far too much waste material on the letter before starting with the router clean up. We live and learn but at age 76 this was a pretty stupid move on my part.

All of my router bits are 1/2" shank.

A starter pin and a compression bit.

Personally, I would sand it smooth. Free-handing with a router can be tricky, as you have found out.

I hear you Myk. I am going to get closer with the bandsaw and then try and sand up to the line with a drum sander. That way there will be minimal cleanup with the flush trim bit.

Thanks all for the great suggestions.

[Lee Bidwell]

Often with smaller pieces the clamp prevents you from do much if anything before the base runs into the clamp. A router pad or shelf liner material can help. In the end the best (and safest) way to do this is with a template sander on a drill press or the Veritas drum sander support system for the drill press.

Van, if I'm reading it right, he's using a router table with a template attached to the top of the letters. I was thinking the whole thing could be held with a clamp while working one "side" of the letters at a time. This certainly doesn't apply if using the router handheld.

[Joe Chritz]

It is likely from the cross grain plys in the plywood.

Smaller cuts will help.

I make a fair number of dovetail drawers with BB and it is rough on router bits.

Joe

[glenn bradley]

I think everything has been covered here. Spiral bits don't give me any grief on BB ply. If thats an option or if you want to do those other pieces I would spring to $20 or so for a bearing guided carbide spiral bit. In your case I would get a downcut as it will cut toward the template in your configuration.

[Gordon Eyre]

It is likely from the cross grain plys in the plywood.

Smaller cuts will help.

I make a fair number of dovetail drawers with BB and it is rough on router bits.

Joe

Thanks for responding Joe, I sort of figured it was from the cross grain plies as I have not had problems in the past with regular wood.

I think everything has been covered here. Spiral bits don't give me any grief on BB ply. If thats an option or if you want to do those other pieces I would spring to $20 or so for a bearing guided carbide spiral bit. In your case I would get a downcut as it will cut toward the template in your configuration.

Thanks Glenn. Actually my template is on the top with a top bearing flush trim bit. I appreciate your suggestion about the spiral bit.