# Routed Sign Making



## 3DBMe (Apr 24, 2008)

*Routed 'Sign Making Class'*










We're going to use a Dremel router to make a sign with recessed lettering. I suggest barnwood because of the contrast between the weathered surface texture and 'fresh cut' letters. I also have enhanced the letters by burning (pyrography) the edges of the letters for increased readability. Of course you can scale up to larger routers if you chose.

Stock:
Barnwood 2"x10"x24" *Suggested material and dimensions

Safety: 
Goggles, Facemask, Gloves

Tools: 
Small straight blade knife: Stop-Cut / Outline
Dremel (model 300)
Flexshaft *optional
Plunge Router attachment #335
Dremel Bits:
Roughout Routing
1/8" #650
3/16" #352
1/4" #654
Smooth Routing
5/16" #115
1/4" #116
1/8" #194
Air Compressor with nozzle for dust removal and increased visibility while cutting

PROCESS:
Design
Print
Overlay
Trace
Mask *Optional to protect rustic surface

Knife Cut - Stop Cut 
Hog out 
Clean Edge
Clean Body using high speed cutting bits
Sanding *Optional if bits leave burn marks or smoother surface is desired
Pyrographic enhancement

Let me know if your interested in participating and if there are any specific questions to be answered prior to starting in January. We should be able to complete this project in 6 or 7 sessions so be prepared to quickly have results you can hang!

Happy Holidays!
Bruce aka '3DbME'


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## followyourheart (Feb 3, 2010)

3DBMe said:


> *Routed 'Sign Making Class'*
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I've done this with a router, but I'll watch since I need to figure out how to get into small corners!
Thanks!


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## brianrickman (Dec 7, 2011)

3DBMe said:


> *Routed 'Sign Making Class'*
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I made one sign with a Dremel. It came out OK, but not anywhere near as nice as the picture you show here. I'll be watching with interest.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

3DBMe said:


> *Routed 'Sign Making Class'*
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Look forward to follow.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## eagle124 (Dec 17, 2007)

3DBMe said:


> *Routed 'Sign Making Class'*
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Looking forward to this….....but can we use a trim router ?


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## 3DBMe (Apr 24, 2008)

3DBMe said:


> *Routed 'Sign Making Class'*
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The Dremel is suggested since this is the tool I used for this size sign. You are welcome to apply the basic concepts to your toolset and style. With larger bits you'll obviously need larger 'minimum radius' at the corners therefore larger text such as with large signs. The other thing about the plunge router, big or small, is the ability to set a specific depth to plunge to where as with a fixed base you may have to enter at an angle which may/can be dangerous. Safety first.


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## macfil20 (Jul 21, 2011)

3DBMe said:


> *Routed 'Sign Making Class'*
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Looking forward to see how to do this.


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## ShopTinker (Oct 27, 2010)

3DBMe said:


> *Routed 'Sign Making Class'*
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I'm looking forward to following along. I've been thinking about making a sign for my sisters cabin. Great timing.


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## Blondewood (Mar 30, 2009)

3DBMe said:


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Sounds like a winner to me. I look forward to it and thanks for doing it for us.


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## DrSawdust (Mar 7, 2007)

3DBMe said:


> *Routed 'Sign Making Class'*
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Very interested in doing this. Looking forward to the new class in the new year.


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## JoeyG (Mar 19, 2011)

3DBMe said:


> *Routed 'Sign Making Class'*
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I do the same type of thing with my epoxy inlays. I don't know that I will have time to participate, but I will be following along. Your sign looks great.


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## SBG (Dec 8, 2009)

3DBMe said:


> *Routed 'Sign Making Class'*
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Count me in!


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## ElmoSr (Feb 11, 2010)

3DBMe said:


> *Routed 'Sign Making Class'*
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i want in also , when/how do i get in line?


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## thelt (Feb 23, 2009)

3DBMe said:


> *Routed 'Sign Making Class'*
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Let me know when the start date is. Love to follow along.


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## 3DBMe (Apr 24, 2008)

*Design, Layout and Cut letters for Routed Sign*

*Sign Carving: Week One*

PROCESS:
Prepare Wood
Design
Print
Overlay
Trace
Mask - Optional
Knife Cut - Stop Cut (Make visible for ease of routing)

Welcome to the Class!










Pick your material of choice to carve. My dog Chewy and I have chosen authentic aged Barn Wood
I steam the board in a clear plastic bag to disinfect and kill any bugs and remove dirt by blowing the board with compressed air being careful not to ruin the surface. Also remove any extraneous nails or obstacles that may be dangerous when routing. These can be replaced after completion to add the sense of age and originality to the piece.

In the initial design phase I take into consideration the texture, characteristics and defects of the board. Make sure to note where knots and uneven surface may impede your progress or finished quality of work. Also consider where you might put any final enhancements to add more personality of the finished piece. For instance I added a wrought iron star to my final piece.

Take a photo of the entire board, as flat to the surface as possible, then import into a photo manipulation application such as Photoshop.










The image must be the same size as the actual board to be carved. This layout is now your "Canvas" to add text to. Choice of font selection, size and position will be done on this background taking into consideration style, character and size on your usable surface space. I avoid knots and nail holes that may be distracting or obstacles while carving. Knots are very hard and may cause skipping of the router bit which is a potential hazard. I try to maintain the original character to give the appearance of aged authenticity.










If the stock fonts in your photo application are not appropriate to your work there are lots of places on the web to down load free fonts. Usually a true type font or .ttf will work with most software when downloaded to your font directory. I chose a font with a Wild West look called "Helldorado". When positioned and sized to my board the 'L' and 'J' are 470pt and the remaining letters, 'UMBER' and 'OCKS', are 350pt. Again, I varied sizes considering the "topology" of the board.










NOTE: It is very important that whether you are using a Dremel router or full sized router your smallest bit will have to fit in the smallest corners of your letters so consider this when laying out your text. Design for your toolset! Image shows 1/8" dot as reference for 1/8" bit.










Once the text is finalized I print out the words full-sized to position on the board as laid out in photoshop. When printing the words I know they won't fit onto one sheet so I create multiple sheets so the letter spacing is preserved when joined back together. Since the layout is Horizontal or Landscape I setup my printing preferences in the "Print Layout" options or "Page Set-up" tab under file options. I preview the printing and set the Top or Vertical Position of the page to be the center of the image and change the Left position to start at the left edge of the image. I then save the setting and print the first few letters. I then go to the Left setting and shift it to the right to get the next few letters making sure there is some reference to align the letters to each other to maintain spacing and straightness of the bottom edge and continue till I have all the letters completed. I then tape all the sheets together so the words appear as in the layout.

When overlaid on the board I note where knots are so I can align properly then cut out those landmarks to make sure I have the same layout as I did in photoshop.










This next step is a trick I use when trying to avoid scratching or wearing the 'weathered' surface unevenly while working the router.










I stick clear plastic self-adhesive shelving material to cover the entire board and secure it down with tape.
Then I position the printed letters to the correct position and tape to the plastic surface.










I then begin to cut out the letters using a straight blade and a thin tip such as an X-acto knife or Flexcut carving knife.










This Stop Cut assists with clean edges while routing. I use a straightedge ruler or triangle for clean straight line cuts and freehand the knife around compound curves for the most control.










I use a firm grasp on the knife handle and use both hands in a push and pull motion to guide the blade around the letters outside edges and inside spaces.

Go as firm and deep as possible in one pass to avoid multiple passes which result in sloppy edges.










Once the letters are completely outlined you should be left with waste printer paper that can be removed leaving only shiny plastic and the letters cut through.










The letters cut in the plastic shelving material below can also be removed. You'll be left with plastic protection for the wood and exposed wood that you will remove with the router.










Make sure that the spaces in the center of the letters remain in place and that all the outlined cuts are apparent to you.










I also dust the completed letters with baby powder so they really stand out and I don't get confused while routing.










*Congratulations!* You have completed the design, layout and transfer of the letters to the wood surface.

You've scored the letter outlines and are left with a visible surface that we will route in the next phase of this sign making project.

If you have any questions please ask. Don't forget to share your progress with us and see you next week!


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## Billp (Nov 25, 2006)

3DBMe said:


> *Design, Layout and Cut letters for Routed Sign*
> 
> *Sign Carving: Week One*
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> ...


None of the pics show up?


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## 3DBMe (Apr 24, 2008)

3DBMe said:


> *Design, Layout and Cut letters for Routed Sign*
> 
> *Sign Carving: Week One*
> 
> ...


Sorry everyone. Photobucket did not serve my images when posted. I have re-added them to the class and should be accurate. If you have any issue please let me know. Thanks for watching. 3DbME.


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## Mahintes (Jan 13, 2012)

3DBMe said:


> *Design, Layout and Cut letters for Routed Sign*
> 
> *Sign Carving: Week One*
> 
> ...


Can't wait to see how you accomplish the next step. I recently upgraded to a more heavy duty Dremel and would love to take on more projects like this. Thanks for sharing.


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## peterrum (Jan 24, 2011)

3DBMe said:


> *Design, Layout and Cut letters for Routed Sign*
> 
> *Sign Carving: Week One*
> 
> ...


Great lesson so far, good explanations of the steps you are taking and why.


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## AKNewbie (Jan 13, 2010)

3DBMe said:


> *Design, Layout and Cut letters for Routed Sign*
> 
> *Sign Carving: Week One*
> 
> ...


Thanks for taking the time to share these techniques!


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## IndianJoe (Mar 29, 2012)

3DBMe said:


> *Design, Layout and Cut letters for Routed Sign*
> 
> *Sign Carving: Week One*
> 
> ...


I get ask all the time for this and have drown it out by hand this looks a lot nicer this way thank you for taking the time to share these techniques!


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## 3DBMe (Apr 24, 2008)

*Wood removal with various routing bits*

Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.

*01 Clamp Wood*









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There are several Dremel bits to be used. Two bits are for roughing out lots of wood quickly, then two more bits for clean passes leaving no burn marks and a final bit to clean the edges of the letters.

*02 Bits*









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We will start with the Dremel mounted to the router attachment. Familiarize yourself with the depth locking mechanism on the handle as this will be your method of increasing your depth per pass.

*03 Router Attachment*









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The first pass will be done with the 1/8" cutting bit #650. This is a very aggressive bit and should only be used for the initial one or two passes. Start by finding the surface of the wood and noting it on the guage marker below the depth lock knob. Then plunge the bit to your desired depth and lock down. As with turning or milling consider 'Speed and Feed.' In this case the speed/RPM's of the variable speed bit dictates how fast you can move the router at your chosen cutting depth through the wood. Because the barn wood is aged and warped I take a very shallow cut (approx. 1/64" to 1/32") for the first pass just to remove the aged top surface at a uniform depth.

*04 Bit #650*










*04 Flush to Surface*









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The transparent base of the router allows for clear viewing of the wood being cut and let you adjust your path and rate of progress as needed. Hold onto the router firmly and make smooth cutting motions to prevent the router kicking back on knots.

*05 Hand Hold*









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Make sure to cut well inside of the stop-cut outlines to avoid any tearing and chipping of the surface edges outside of the outlines.

*06 First Pass* 


















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Because the bit rotates clockwise you want to direct the router travel in a clockwise rotation. If you're too aggressive the bit can burn the wood surface which is OK for the first one or two passes that increase in depth by 1/32" to 3/64" for each pass depending on how soft your wood is. There may be alot of smoke generated which can occlude your view so GO SLOW and if you can't see your path STOP and wait for the smoke to clear.

*08 Complete Letter*










*09 Shallow Cut*









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To remove more 'meat' per cut you can switch to the 3/16" #654 bit and gradually increase the depth for more predictable results. Work closer to the edges without getting all the way to the cut lines.

*10 Bit #654*










*10a Dirty Hog Out*










*10b Dirty Hog Out*









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As you progress downward to your desired final depth you can switch again to milling bit #115 which cleans the letter face as you remove wood. You will want to move slowly with a more uniform cutting path motion as this bit will almost leave a final surface.

*11 Bit #115*










*11 Cleaned up*









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Switch again to milling bit #116 which has a slight taper to it allows you to get to the edge of the letters and do a very small undercut so the base of the letters are very clean. I do not use the entire angled edge of the bit. I also do a very shallow final pass with this bit to make the entire floor as uniform and clean as possible.

*12a Bit #116*










*12a Under Cut Edge*










*12a Clean Edges*









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As a final step, clean the vertical walls of the letter outlines, I use one last bit #194. This lets me get into tight corners and clean the letter edges to a very clean finish.

*13 Bit #194 Edge Cut*









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You can see that without sanding the surface of the letters are clean but may have some path marks left from one of your passes. If you want you can lower the bit a miniscule amount and go over the flat surface again until you are satisfied.

*14 Final Rout*









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Once satisfied, you can use a variety of tools to sand areas that need some attention.
Depending on the size of your letters you can use a Sanding Pad and Disc's. For very large letters I use a 2" pad mounted in a Drill. The 'Wave' is typically used for turning but works well with light pressure and various grits. For medium letters a 1" pad mounted in the Dremel without the router attachment. The Dremel Flexshaft is very useful at this point. For smaller areas I use the Micromot system ½" pad on the Dremel (made by Proxxon). The small areas require an improvised Dremel bit (like #115) with some 2 sided tape and sandpaper mounted on the bottom of the bit and trimmed to the same circumference. This is used at slow speed since the sandpaper will fly off. And of course you can use Sanding Sticks (X-Coarse, Coarse, Medium, Fine) for small specific areas that need individual attention.

I like to finish off the letters by making them "POP" off the surface by burning the vertical edges with a Wood-burning/pyrographic pen. The burnt edge adds contrast and separates the letters from the weathered surface. Good luck and have fun. /3DbME


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


Very interesting and well photographed ,Blogs can be a lot of work ,thanks for sharing this great info.


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## 3DBMe (Apr 24, 2008)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


Thanks Jim. It took a while but the issues are behind me! This should have been a class.


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## whitedog (Dec 7, 2008)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the details and pictures it really helps. It's looking good , I'll be waiting for the next one.


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## MsDebbieP (Jan 4, 2007)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


I agree-great photos!!! I really appreciate being able to see the different bits being used.


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## WVTODD (Jun 8, 2011)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


Thanks for a well done lesson on the sign, i learned a lot.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


very well done how to. really appreciate all the gr8 pics and explanations. very ez to follow instructions. thnx for the lesson/s


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## IndianJoe (Mar 29, 2012)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


Thanks for a well done lesson on the sign, i learned a lot.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


Pictures do say more, if you know what you are looking at. I will be coming back as I am wanting to incorporate this skill with some basic intarsa to make a logo and sign for my shop. Bought a craftsman version of the Dremel
toolawhile back and I occassionaly serch the locall box store to see if there are jigs for sign making. But this has the character I was searching for.

Thanks for you hard work in posting the class!


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## Bob817 (Nov 17, 2011)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


Thankyou very much that was very educational, can't wait for the next one.


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## bojo7364 (Feb 23, 2012)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


Reallly cool and informative! Thanks!


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## TenDigitHands (Jul 9, 2012)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


Fantastic tutorial, the pictures are so helpful in understanding how you achieve your results. Thank you for sharing!


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## jeffwedekind (Jan 11, 2011)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


Great blog Bruce! can't wait to get started, just have to clear a* few* projects from the list.


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## sethwells (Sep 20, 2012)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


Why can't I see any of the pictures?


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## barl472 (Oct 18, 2012)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


Fantastic info. I recently made each of my grand daughters a blanket chest. I used spruce simply because I like the way the wood looked with a satin finish on it. I've been trying to figure out how I was going to engrave their name on a seperate piece of wood and add it to the lid and now I know. I use my computer everyday printing pictures and other stuuf and it never ocurred to me to print out my project and then do the tracing like that. DUH….Thanks for the post.


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## StephenSchaad (Jun 8, 2012)

3DBMe said:


> *Wood removal with various routing bits*
> 
> Now that the letters are outlined with a stop-cut we want to 'rough out' the material inside the letters. I use clamps to hold down the wood so that there is no movement while routing. The clamps are repositioned as necessary for a clear work space.
> 
> ...


I've never even thought about routing free handed. Has anyone done this with a full sized plunge router? I'd love to make a couple signs for Christmas decorations.


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