There MUST be a safer way to do this..router table and small pieces.

[Tim Morton]

Tonight I had to make about a dozen end caps, using 1/2" cherry. I had cut them down to size, 4 3/4 square and then used my router (upside down in a table) to put a 45 degree bevel on all 4 sides. I have zero router table training and by the time I was done I realized there MUST be something better than holding them with a push stick. I wasn't using a fence as i had a bit with a guide bearing. I guess a DVD on using a router table safely would not be a bad idea either.

[Andy London]

Make yourself a sacrificial fence in pine or mdf to guide your pieces along, you can either cut an opening in the fence or allow the router bit to cut it's profile into the fence. This will also reduce tearout.

Andy

[John Miliunas]

Tim, two "quickie" things come to mind: 1) Make yourself a simple sled with a hold-down clamp on it. Kinda' like you would use to do the ends of the rail on a rail & stile frame. 2) If you don't have one yet, get yourself a "Grrrripper". Really works slick for smaller stock like that.

[Jason Roehl]

Since you were doing it fence-less, you should have had a starter/safety pin stuck into the table. This allows you to pivot the piece into the router bit rather than just jamming it in there and hoping it doesn't rip it out of your fingers (or push-block/shoe/stick).

[Tim Morton]

I did waste a couple from tear-out and I do remember seeing something on "the router workshop" where he had some kind of pin mounted on his table that he pivoted the piece around. And I have been meaning to order "the gripper". I just know that the way i did it was not good, although the finished pieces were perfect....just seemed unsafe. Like was pointed out I was kind of just pushing the wood into the bit and hoping for the best. One cool thing came out of tonight...fired up my planer for the first time and made losts of cherry sawdust...the cuts were smooth as silk with the refurbed ridgid planer....and much quieter than i expected.

Thanks for the advice.....

[John Miliunas]

Doh! Tim, after reading Jason's comments and then re-reading your post, I find a somewhat bothersome situation: NO FENCE! Even with a bearing-type bit, I've always been taught (and do so in practice) use the fence. For one, it allows you to "sneak up" on the final dimension/profile, without having to hog off the whole mass at one shot. That in itself makes for a much safer situation, IMHO. If you're not using a fence, you can pretty much disregard my initial two suggestion... Be safe out there, my friend!

[Tim Morton]

I know a fence would have been the way to go...but with small pieces and the bearing, and the fact i was not taking off much wood...I was thinking that something like "the grippper" would be as safe as a fence. I was more looking for that "pin" thing. I mean you have to be able to do some things with a routher table and no fence...or am I just being stupid? Next time I will use the fence...promise!!

[John Miliunas]

OK, guess I should qualify my statement(s); Yes, I do go "fenceless" every now and again on the table, but that would be for pieces which aren't straigt or, for instance, inside of circular openings and such. Those times are when the pin really comes in handy and the fence would be useless. For smaller stock, though, some type of "sacrificial" hold-down, in conjunction with a fence usually works the best. Plus, if I'm reading what you were doing correctly, I would've probably taken a long 4-3/4" piece, done the 45's on the two long ends, then cut it up to the square width needed and only had to deal with half of the riskier pieces.

[Tim Morton]

I would have done that as well...but it wasn't until after they were cut that we decided on the bevel.

[David Rose]

Tim, you don't need much of a fence for it to work. Even a good straight board or piece of MDF will do with clamps on either end. I believe that a fence is always safer than none if you can use it in the application. If the bit you use has a bearing, you will need to cut that area out with another bit to get it to clear, but it's worth it. I have a fancy fence but it isn't necessary.

David

[Mark Mazzo]

Tim,

I don't blame you for feeling a bit unsafe using just a push-stick and no fence with small pieces on the router table. For me, small pieces are always a challenge and I usually think through the process a long time before ever attempting to make the cut (that's probably also why it takes me too ling to get things done ).

For this kind of thing I would probably make a quick sled to run against the fence (not a fancy fence, just a clamped straight board will do). The sled can be a simple 1/4" hardboard base with a backer glued/screwed to it perpendicular to the fence, and a toggle clamp on the backer to hold the work piece. Just run this along to fence (even sneaking up on the final depth of cut if necessary) and you're working safe. Another reason for the sled is that on such a small work piece, even with the fence you might twist the piece as you are cutting and it could get jammed in the bit opening.

I agree with John that the starting pin would be better left for larger curved pieces. For that I might use the push blocks from the jointer to hold the workpiece as I run it along the cutter. Even doing this, you must be careful to take only small bites or you can get bad tearout or worse.

-- Mark

[Kent Cori]

All good advice here particularly the fence and sled or push block thoughts. You can also use an old fashioned wooden two jaw screw clamp for holding small parts. The individually adjustable jaws help hold almost any shape. On the off chance that you nick one of the jaw tips with the router bit, they're wood so no harm is done. This approach keeps your hands further away from the spinning bit.

[Gary Whitt]

http://www.woodworkingtips.com/woodtips/sntip51.html

Just found this link.
It might be of interest to you.

[Stan Smith]

I like Kent's idea using a wood clamp. I use small ones for cutting really tiny pieces on the bandsaw and scrollsaw. I use the Grrripper on the router and also have a miter gauge track. I made my own sled that rides in the track for really small stuff. You can notch out a 2x4 the thickness of the stock to hold it in place against the fence that I strongly recommend that you use.

Stan