Woodworker's Journal winter-2010, страница 28

Back up cross-grain dado cuts with a piece of scrap (light-colored wood in photo). Then rout the dado, feeding the router slightly into the scrap to finish the pass.

fragile edge grain resulting in a crisp, clean cut (see top photo).

Tip 5: Invest in Shear-cutting Bits

Ordinary straight bits (left in bottom photo) have cutters aligned with the axis of the bit, and they chop wood like a chisel. That chopping action is fine for softer

Spiral or shear-cutting bits (center and right) are better choices for end-grain jobs than conventional straight bits (left).

Tip 6: Take Smaller Bites on Big Profiles

Trying to remove too much stock in one pass is a recipe for torn grain and sloppy profile cuts. The best remedy is to rout big cuts in several passes of increasing depth. Set the bit low for the first pass (see right photo, top), then expose more of the cutters in the next pass or two until you reach the amount of profile you want (see

You'll eliminate burning and ragged surfaces on large profile cuts if you rout them in several lighter passes. Raise the bit more with each pass until you reach the profile you desire.

long-grain fibers, but it can tear out or crush bits of hard end grain and leave a ragged cut. A better option is to use spiral bits or straight bits with cutters set at an angle to the bit's axis. Either of these styles will produce a shearing cut, similar to a hand plane, to help you tame that difficult end grain more easily.

right photo, bottom). Make the final pass whisker thin to shave away any minor burn marks or torn grain. Shallow passes also help your router breathe a little easier, too. &

28 Six Tips For Avoiding Router Tearout