I have been asked to create some simple blanks for award plaques. They'll be
stained and assembled by kids so they don't have to be perfect. All I need
to do is to route all four edges with something decorative, perhaps a Roman
Ogee?
I'm planning to do this on my RAS. I know, I know, but this is a very simple
project and I can't afford to go out and buy a router right now and I don't
have time to make a table. Besides, I don't have enough experience with
routing to make good choices for either. The RAS is a 60's Craftsman, which
is a decent machine, but the shaft spins at the same speed as the arbor,
which is way slow compared to a router.
I know it will work well enough, because long ago I made some windowsills
using two passes with a roundover bit to create the bullnose for the sill.
It worked quite well, which makes me think that I lucked out and chose a
wood species (can't remember what it was) that was tolerant of the low RPMs.
Might have been Poplar.
Would a harder or softer wood work best for the slow bit speed?
Suggestions?This is charity work so I also need to keep the cost down.
When I made the windowsills long ago, I had the stock between the fence and
the bit, and from lurking here, I've learned that this is BAD, right?
So here's what I think I need to do:
I'll make a router style fence for the RAS that will allow the bit to be
fixed in place in the gap. For the plaques, I'll work from 1x8x8 or 1x6x8
stock, which will be crosscut to a slightly longer dimension to produce a
rectangle with the grain going left to right.
I'll route the long edges of the stock before crosscutting with the bit
fixed in place in the fence. I can use a featherboard to hold the stock
against the fence.
Now, here's the part where I'm uncertain:
To route the remaiming edges after the crosscut, is there any reason not to
hold the longer edge of the stock against the RAS fence and use the RAS to
move the bit along the short edge similar to a 90 degree crosscut? This
seems safer to me than moving the stock shortways across the bit. Plus, if I
feel the operation has my left hand too close to the bit, it would be easy
to devise a clamp or jig to hold the piece in place. Whether I push or pull
the carriage would depend on the rotation of the bit, whatever is necessary
to have the correct relationship.
Am I on the right track here?
TIA,
Tom M.
Wtf? See if you can borrow a router.Tom M
Tom M. wrote: >I have been asked to create some simple
blanks for award plaques. They'll be
>stained and assembled by kids so they don't have to be perfect. All I need
>to do is to route all four edges with something decorative, perhaps a Roman
>Ogee?
>
>I'm planning to do this on my RAS. I know, I know, but this is a very simple
>project and I can't afford to go out and buy a router right now and I don't
>have time to make a table. Besides, I don't have enough experience with
>routing to make good choices for either. The RAS is a 60's Craftsman, which
>is a decent machine, but the shaft spins at the same speed as the arbor,
>which is way slow compared to a router.
>
>I know it will work well enough, because long ago I made some windowsills
>using two passes with a roundover bit to create the bullnose for the sill.
>It worked quite well, which makes me think that I lucked out and chose a
>wood species (can't remember what it was) that was tolerant of the low RPMs.
>Might have been Poplar.
>
>Would a harder or softer wood work best for the slow bit speed?
>Suggestions?This is charity work so I also need to keep the cost down.
>
>When I made the windowsills long ago, I had the stock between the fence and
>the bit, and from lurking here, I've learned that this is BAD, right?
>
>So here's what I think I need to do:
>
>I'll make a router style fence for the RAS that will allow the bit to be
>fixed in place in the gap. For the plaques, I'll work from 1x8x8 or 1x6x8
>stock, which will be crosscut to a slightly longer dimension to produce a
>rectangle with the grain going left to right.
>
>I'll route the long edges of the stock before crosscutting with the bit
>fixed in place in the fence. I can use a featherboard to hold the stock
>against the fence.
>
>Now, here's the part where I'm uncertain:
>
>To route the remaiming edges after the crosscut, is there any reason not to
>hold the longer edge of the stock against the RAS fence and use the RAS to
>move the bit along the short edge similar to a 90 degree crosscut? This
>seems safer to me than moving the stock shortways across the bit. Plus, if I
>feel the operation has my left hand too close to the bit, it would be easy
>to devise a clamp or jig to hold the piece in place. Whether I push or pull
>the carriage would depend on the rotation of the bit, whatever is necessary
>to have the correct relationship.
>
>Am I on the right track here?
>
>TIA,
>Tom M.
>
>
>
>
Someday, it'll all be over....
Where are you located? Maybe someone with a router will step in to help.
It doesn't sound like a fun jog on a RAS. If you live in the Seattle area,
I would be glad to lend a hand.
Bob McBreen - Yarrow Point, WA
"Tom" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have been asked to create some simple blanks for award plaques. They'll
be
> stained and assembled by kids so they don't have to be perfect. All I need
> to do is to route all four edges with something decorative, perhaps a
Roman
> Ogee?
>
> I'm planning to do this on my RAS. I know, I know, but this is a very
simple
> project and I can't afford to go out and buy a router right now and I
don't
> have time to make a table. Besides, I don't have enough experience with
> routing to make good choices for either. The RAS is a 60's Craftsman,
which
> is a decent machine, but the shaft spins at the same speed as the arbor,
> which is way slow compared to a router.
>
> I know it will work well enough, because long ago I made some windowsills
> using two passes with a roundover bit to create the bullnose for the sill.
> It worked quite well, which makes me think that I lucked out and chose a
> wood species (can't remember what it was) that was tolerant of the low
RPMs.
> Might have been Poplar.
>
> Would a harder or softer wood work best for the slow bit speed?
> Suggestions?This is charity work so I also need to keep the cost down.
>
> When I made the windowsills long ago, I had the stock between the fence
and
> the bit, and from lurking here, I've learned that this is BAD, right?
>
> So here's what I think I need to do:
>
> I'll make a router style fence for the RAS that will allow the bit to be
> fixed in place in the gap. For the plaques, I'll work from 1x8x8 or 1x6x8
> stock, which will be crosscut to a slightly longer dimension to produce a
> rectangle with the grain going left to right.
>
> I'll route the long edges of the stock before crosscutting with the bit
> fixed in place in the fence. I can use a featherboard to hold the stock
> against the fence.
>
> Now, here's the part where I'm uncertain:
>
> To route the remaiming edges after the crosscut, is there any reason not
to
> hold the longer edge of the stock against the RAS fence and use the RAS to
> move the bit along the short edge similar to a 90 degree crosscut? This
> seems safer to me than moving the stock shortways across the bit. Plus, if
I
> feel the operation has my left hand too close to the bit, it would be easy
> to devise a clamp or jig to hold the piece in place. Whether I push or
pull
> the carriage would depend on the rotation of the bit, whatever is
necessary
> to have the correct relationship.
>
> Am I on the right track here?
>
> TIA,
> Tom M.
>
>
>
>
>
Go for it. Don't let everything you read in here guide your decisions. First
of all, I have, in the past read some of the negative posts about routing on
the RAS. Know what I say? Hogwash! These people have a bad experience or
they do something blatantly stupid and they condemn the thing for it. When I
started out all I had was a RAS and I did everything on it. Ripped routed,
drilled, shaped, sanded. Its one of the most versatile tools in the shop.
Yes you must respect it and yes it requires a damn brain to use it but I
think you have that already right? Don't get me wrong, its not always the
BEST tool for the job and no its not going to perform as good as a router,
BUT it will get the job done and get it done well and safely............If
you have a brain and think about what you're doing when you do it.
Have at it!
Jim
"Tom" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have been asked to create some simple blanks for award plaques. They'll
be
> stained and assembled by kids so they don't have to be perfect. All I need
> to do is to route all four edges with something decorative, perhaps a
Roman
> Ogee?
>
> I'm planning to do this on my RAS. I know, I know, but this is a very
simple
> project and I can't afford to go out and buy a router right now and I
don't
> have time to make a table. Besides, I don't have enough experience with
> routing to make good choices for either. The RAS is a 60's Craftsman,
which
> is a decent machine, but the shaft spins at the same speed as the arbor,
> which is way slow compared to a router.
>
> I know it will work well enough, because long ago I made some windowsills
> using two passes with a roundover bit to create the bullnose for the sill.
> It worked quite well, which makes me think that I lucked out and chose a
> wood species (can't remember what it was) that was tolerant of the low
RPMs.
> Might have been Poplar.
>
> Would a harder or softer wood work best for the slow bit speed?
> Suggestions?This is charity work so I also need to keep the cost down.
>
> When I made the windowsills long ago, I had the stock between the fence
and
> the bit, and from lurking here, I've learned that this is BAD, right?
>
> So here's what I think I need to do:
>
> I'll make a router style fence for the RAS that will allow the bit to be
> fixed in place in the gap. For the plaques, I'll work from 1x8x8 or 1x6x8
> stock, which will be crosscut to a slightly longer dimension to produce a
> rectangle with the grain going left to right.
>
> I'll route the long edges of the stock before crosscutting with the bit
> fixed in place in the fence. I can use a featherboard to hold the stock
> against the fence.
>
> Now, here's the part where I'm uncertain:
>
> To route the remaiming edges after the crosscut, is there any reason not
to
> hold the longer edge of the stock against the RAS fence and use the RAS to
> move the bit along the short edge similar to a 90 degree crosscut? This
> seems safer to me than moving the stock shortways across the bit. Plus, if
I
> feel the operation has my left hand too close to the bit, it would be easy
> to devise a clamp or jig to hold the piece in place. Whether I push or
pull
> the carriage would depend on the rotation of the bit, whatever is
necessary
> to have the correct relationship.
>
> Am I on the right track here?
>
> TIA,
> Tom M.
>
>
>
>
>
"RWM" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Where are you located? Maybe someone with a router will step in to help.
> It doesn't sound like a fun jog on a RAS. If you live in the Seattle
area,
> I would be glad to lend a hand.
>
> Bob McBreen - Yarrow Point, WA
<snip>
Actually quite the contrary. As long as the procedure is safe, I don't mind
if it's not the ideal method. It will still be fun.
The RAS is actually pretty easy to use this way. But back when I made those
windowsills when I was a kid, even though I was very careful about keeping
my hands far from spinning metal, I knew nothing about feed direction and
the possibility of a tool grabbing the stock (kickback or "climbing"). Now
that I am slightly more informed, I just wanted to be sure that my approach
didn't have any glaring safety problems.
Thanks for the offer of help, Bob. I'm in Texas, so that might be too much
to ask! <g>
Off topic side note:
I once seriously considered making the drive to Seattle from here. My wife's
best friend got married there on September 15, 2001. If you recognize the
date you'll realize why there weren't too many flights in the air that
weekend. By Wednesday 9/12, I considered making the drive and realized that
if we left immediately, we still wouldn't make it in time!! Seattle is a
LONG way from Dallas. We made the wedding though. Yes, I was on an airplane
on the Friday after 9/11, and the next day a small group of us celebrated a
bit of joy in a tragic time.
Peace,
Tom M.