EF

Ed Foster

28/08/2003 10:17 PM

Rail & stile router bit adjustment?

OK, I finally have my router table in operation and am looking for
hints on the height adjustment for rail and stile bits. Short of
making a lot of test cuts on scrap is there a good way to adjust the
height of the cut on the ends of the rails so they match flush with the
stiles?


This topic has 8 replies

BA

Bay Area Dave

in reply to Ed Foster on 28/08/2003 10:17 PM

28/08/2003 10:48 PM

actually, it's pretty easy, Ed. You do it empirically:

1) Cut the copes on the rails first.
2) Remove the bit and install the stile bit.
3) Adjust the height by placing the rail profile up against the bit and
eyeball it from the side so that the tongue will line up with the groove
cutter portion of the stile bit.
4) go for it! cut a piece and double check that it's flush to your
satisfaction. if my tired old eyes can do it on the first try, I'm sure
you can too.

dave

Ed Foster wrote:

> OK, I finally have my router table in operation and am looking for
> hints on the height adjustment for rail and stile bits. Short of
> making a lot of test cuts on scrap is there a good way to adjust the
> height of the cut on the ends of the rails so they match flush with the
> stiles?

Gg

"Groggy"

in reply to Ed Foster on 28/08/2003 10:17 PM

29/08/2003 9:03 AM


"Ed Foster" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:280820031817283878%[email protected]...
> OK, I finally have my router table in operation and am looking for
> hints on the height adjustment for rail and stile bits. Short of
> making a lot of test cuts on scrap is there a good way to adjust the
> height of the cut on the ends of the rails so they match flush with the
> stiles?

Ed,

spend the next week browing around John's site at

http://www.woodshopdemos.com

he has some great ideas (and waaayyy too many tools)

Greg

jJ

[email protected] (JLucas ILS)

in reply to "Groggy" on 29/08/2003 9:03 AM

30/08/2003 1:27 AM

Gregg, you are so right. But to set the height of rail and stile, start with
coping bit (bearing in center) and adjust the height until you see 1/8" on
underside. That will give you a very important lip on the profile. Make the
cuts on ends of rails and then switch bits. If they are a match set, no setup
required, otherwide set up to fit the rail cuts.
This is a google search that will get you rail and stile bits.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=ISO-8859-1&safe=off&q=sit
e%3Awww.woodshopdemos.com+rail+stile

Rd

Rich

in reply to Ed Foster on 28/08/2003 10:17 PM

29/08/2003 6:41 AM

Bay Area Dave wrote, wondering if this is really what he meant?

> actually, it's pretty easy, Ed. You do it empirically:
>
> 1) Cut the copes on the rails first.
> 2) Remove the bit and install the stile bit.
> 3) Adjust the height by placing the rail profile up against the bit and
> eyeball it from the side so that the tongue will line up with the groove
> cutter portion of the stile bit.
> 4) go for it! cut a piece and double check that it's flush to your
> satisfaction. if my tired old eyes can do it on the first try, I'm sure
> you can too.
>
> dave
See dave suggestion above and then try this:
Once you get your bit height where you want it you can either use a scrape
piece of 3/4" and run it through or they make this plastic poly stuff for
that exact purpose, comes in long or short lengths that you can do the same
and it makes a great template for later use and fast setups.

Rich
--
You can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK.
Atten: Micro$oft Outlook users, please take me
off of your address books!
Email, remove the DOT

Ba

B a r r y B u r k e J r .

in reply to Ed Foster on 28/08/2003 10:17 PM

29/08/2003 10:42 AM

On Fri, 29 Aug 2003 02:43:57 GMT, Bay Area Dave <[email protected]>
wrote:

>how about just keeping a piece of a properly cut workpiece, marked for
>safekeeping, thrown into your router cabinet drawers?

This method works great for me. Rather than buying HDPE specifically
for setup blocks, I use small scraps of MDF. That is, if I don't
use a scrap of the actual material the doors are made of.

Barry

BA

Bay Area Dave

in reply to Ed Foster on 28/08/2003 10:17 PM

29/08/2003 2:43 AM

how about just keeping a piece of a properly cut workpiece, marked for
safekeeping, thrown into your router cabinet drawers? That's how I can
quickly set the depth of the first bit; the rail bit.

dave

Wilson Lamb wrote:

> Hwo about a c shaped gage that sits on the table and locates on the top of
> the bit...one for each cut. The leg of the C that teaches over the bit
> would obviously be longer.
>
> I'll bet if you made some of these out of brass and ebony you could get $20
> each in a catalog!
>
> Wilson
>
>
> "Ed Foster" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:280820031817283878%[email protected]...
>
>>OK, I finally have my router table in operation and am looking for
>>hints on the height adjustment for rail and stile bits. Short of
>>making a lot of test cuts on scrap is there a good way to adjust the
>>height of the cut on the ends of the rails so they match flush with the
>>stiles?
>
>
>

WL

"Wilson Lamb"

in reply to Ed Foster on 28/08/2003 10:17 PM

29/08/2003 2:33 AM

Hwo about a c shaped gage that sits on the table and locates on the top of
the bit...one for each cut. The leg of the C that teaches over the bit
would obviously be longer.

I'll bet if you made some of these out of brass and ebony you could get $20
each in a catalog!

Wilson


"Ed Foster" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:280820031817283878%[email protected]...
> OK, I finally have my router table in operation and am looking for
> hints on the height adjustment for rail and stile bits. Short of
> making a lot of test cuts on scrap is there a good way to adjust the
> height of the cut on the ends of the rails so they match flush with the
> stiles?

Mj

"Morgans"

in reply to Ed Foster on 28/08/2003 10:17 PM

28/08/2003 8:49 PM


"Ed Foster" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:280820031817283878%[email protected]...
> OK, I finally have my router table in operation and am looking for
> hints on the height adjustment for rail and stile bits. Short of
> making a lot of test cuts on scrap is there a good way to adjust the
> height of the cut on the ends of the rails so they match flush with the
> stiles?

Do all the crossgrain cuts first. That way, as you pass the wood past the
bit, you can use a block of wood to push it through, thus preventing
blowout. I also recommend using a sled, or miter gauge to keep the stock
from tipping into the bit, and nasty things happening.

After that, when you change bits, run the cut, and it will be apparent it
you have the height right. You did cut a couple extra scraps of endgrain,
didn't you? <g>
--
Jim in NC


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