router bit

[domeier]

I bought a router and table today to cut the dado and rabbet on my bed wood. I want to keep this cheap, so I'm thinking I'll buy just (1) 1/4" straight router bit, use that for the 1/4" dado and multiple pass it for the 1/2" rabbet... and then I read that router bits cut slightly larger than their size?

Any of you master craftsmen types, please feel free to school me before I start in a-cuttin'. I've never used a router before. What bit(s) would you use to do this?

[Jaysonb]

When I cut my bed wood, I put a 3/4" dado stack in the table saw to make one cut all the way across, then used a 1/4" bit on the router table for the second cut. Then your not taking such a deep cut with the 1/4" bit. Make sure to use feather boards, and with someone to help feed the boards, it goes pretty quick. Good luck, and let's see some pics when your done!
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[SS Tim]

Think I would just use a table saw too. Most router tables will not have enough support over the length of the board. Where are you getting your dimensions from? These are tech sheets from Mar-K.

[domeier]

I got my dimensions from GMCPauls. Slightly different from the Mar-K numbers, and thanks for posting those pdf's. I don't have a table saw, so will do all with the router. I figure we'll take it real slow and see what happens. It's just pine, so won't be hard to cut.

Oh, and I DROPPED and totaled my camera that I've had forever and loved. Now I have to ask to use the wife's girly-loser camera - but I'll make sure to take pics once I start cutting.

[cdowns]

whatever you r using // table saw router or hammer and chisel

run test on scrap wood and get everything dialed in b4 using the quality stuff

me i am a huge fan of my good old table saw from 1955

[special-K]

I use a table saw,too. I have 4! I only say that cuz I saw Cliff's post about 1955. One is a big Delta,next is small Delta,then mid-50s vintage Craftsman small,and same vintage big (and very heavy) Delta. A router table will work fine. Either tool would benefit from using supports to run it off onto to keep from "tipping" when you're toward the tail end of your cut. If you don't have any stands,just rig something up for it to slide onto

[domeier]

Originally Posted by Jaysonb

...then used a 1/4" bit on the router table for the second cut... Make sure to use feather boards...
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1) How wide a gap does a 1/4" straight router bit cut? I read on a woodworking site that they cut larger, but they didn't say how much larger?

2) What's a feather board?

[Sammy]

Feather board I believe is what they use to push the board at the very end of the cut to prevent accidentally removing the digits from your hand.

[etindoll]

I program and run cnc routers everyday and the 1/4" bits that I use run pretty much true to diameter. The only problem that you may run into is as the bit gets dull they will actual get smaller in diameter this would be so small that you would have to mic it to tell but they do loose a little bit as they get dull. When using the 1/4" diameter you will need to make sure you go slow as that size bit will tend to flex from what I have seen.

[cdowns]

a foolsproof way to tell how wide your bit cuts is to take a scrap of lumber and run it thru// somthing like that do the work and dont depend on an online measurement

[etindoll]

Originally Posted by cdowns

a foolsproof way to tell how wide your bit cuts is to take a scrap of lumber and run it thru// somthing like that do the work and dont depend on an online measurement

I 100% agree especially with all of the imported tooling sold today most aren't standard, they are metric sold as standard.

[Chvy2NV]

Subd.
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