Cross for my Father In Law #3: Failure

Probably a mix of things. Probably was going too slow and the bit probably is a part. Mahogany is also sometimes hard to work – grain can run wild.

I’d finish the pine version and give that to him as a “marker” for the real one you want to do. He’ll probably cherish the pine one as much as any because of the time and effort you took to make it.

-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.

I feel your pain, but may have a suggestion. I was trying to cut an edge with my router a while back and tried to do it in one pass. It burned the cherry pretty badly in some spots. I’m going to guess that the edging bit you are using is a bearing guided bit? I’m not sure how deep you set it the first time, but if you’ve got enough room to lower it just 1/2 mm, you might be able to make a real fast/light pass to remove the burn marks. If this is possible, it should only take you a few minutes to try and if it doesn’t work, nothing lost…

Good luck with whatever you try!

Hrolfr—-

You aren’t without some options. First-The burning may removable. With a small round file and some patience,
you can file slowly and carefully along the profile’s burned surface. Or get a dowel with a radius close to the shape of the profile, wrap some sand paper around the dowel and sand away the burn marks.
If you have any carving tools-you can also choose a gouge with a matching pitch and sweep and lightly carve away the burn marks. This may in fact leave an interesting texture…

Another option is to turn the burn marks a deliberate design feature- Paint or stain the burned sections-Black.
That will give it another type of look….
Alan

I agree with Alan, I think this is recoverable. Being a router guy, I would first attempt to resolve the problem with the router. I have no experience with cordless routers, but I find it hard to believe they can offer the power and speed that a router needs, but if it is only router you have, you will have to make it work.

I do have a little experience with cheap router bits and would suggest you throw that Ryobi router bit as far as you can. I take that back, at your size, you might hit someone in a neighboring town. :o) Anyway, purchase replacement bit of quality (CMT, Freud, Whiteside, Woodcraft, Rockler, take your pick) and try again. Keep the bit clean – if you have to clean the bit a few times before you are done – that is what you have to do. You already have the main profile, you are just cleaning up the cut – only drop it down a hair. Don’t let the bit sit there either, keep it moving – I would say moving at rate of a foot every couple seconds.

Please let us know how it works out…

Frank

-- Festool4

Failure is unacceptable. You just hit a dip in the road to your finale design. Remember that the individual characteristics of the lumber you choose for your project will have a say in the way things ultimately end up. It’s just part of the glory of woodworking, cajoling this formerly living material; with it’s expansion/contraction cycles, and proclivity to cup, bow and warp and twist, accept stain and finish differently, etc.

HokieMojo has a good idea. Where the edges are torn you might benefit from that light pass run the opposite direction on the areas that tore out before. If the grain runs out at the edge you can have some chewing as the bit lifts the grain and snaps it off. If you run the opposite way in those spots, with light cuts and a faster speed you might be able to smooth the cut. Follow up with sandpaper or a little custom made scraper. I use lengths of recycled bandsaw blades, which I grind to a radiused profile on the bench grinder. Hacksaw blade pieces or even wide saber saw blades could be used. You can use the wire edge hook from the grind for a while and renew the hook with a mill bastard file when needed or if you are an adept at cabinet scraper preparation, follow your own protocol. You get a lot of material from a recycled bandsaw blade, so I have a number of ground profiles for the edge forming router bits I own.

And Alan’s suggestion of ”turn the burn marks a deliberate design feature- Paint or stain the burned sections – Black.” is another excellent suggestion if you still encounter difficulties. I have gotten a lot of “design features” in my work over the years. It’s the essence of Bordnerization.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

Actually, you might consider purposely burning the edges with a torch. You would use an inexpensive torch with a flame spreader. I have used this technique before – it leaves a nice effect. Do it outside of the shop and keep a fire extinguisher near by. A wet rag might be a good idea as well…

-- Festool4

Thanks everyone… I think I am going to try some of these sugestions

festool4, well yeah last night I was pretty hot over the mess up and might have just hit the next town LOL

Douglas… you are right failure was pretty much how I was feeling last night right after this happened.. I am not giving up just a delay… there is no way I can get the project finished for this weekend too much going on a work and I am thinking a trip to the store for a decent bit is in order so I am failing at getting the project done on time but then again this is a hobby and is for fun so really I shouldn’t stress over not making the deadline I wanted to make.

I am not giving up on the project just have to regroup and try some of the stuff you all sugested and well eh maybe start overeither way its not going to happen tonight… I am a PC trainer by trade and this week has been a class week so its been in to work early by 2hrs or so and home late by about an hr so I am far too tired to get much done.

Thanks everyone for your help and sugestions :D:D

-- Hrolfr

just update the blog when you get back to it. I’d like to see what you try and how it turns out.

I like it like that with the burn marks, kind of makes a statement, it is the cross or else :)

-- Frank, Little River/Academy, Texas , http://www.allthingsrustix.com