# Rounding over edges



## krisrimes (Jun 17, 2011)

I am in the middle of a large order of picnic tables. I need to round over all of the sharp edges as efficiently as possible. I have tried a round over bit in a router and just sanding all of the sharp edges. Neither of these seem to get the job done as quickly as I would like. I am hoping that someone has a technique that I have not thought up, that could be a time saver. Happy 4th


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## Bobmedic (Sep 24, 2010)

How can you get faster than using a router with a round over bit? Set up your router in a table and route your long edges before assembly. Assemble the tables and route the ends of the table top and seats with the router freehand. Doesn't get any quicker than that.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Maybe your using to small of round over bit?


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

Router is my choice when doing roundovers. Fast enough for me unless the radius is too big for a single pass.
For a picnic table I'd use an 1/8" or 1/4" bit and call it a day.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I'd generally use a laminate trimmer with a small radius roundover
bit because the tool is easy to handle. A heavy router can make
the job feel like it's going slower than it is.

If you want to round over all boards, you might try setting
up your table saw with a moulding head and perhaps a
power feeder. The feeder would automate the job 
quite a lot. Of course a shaper would work too.


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## renners (Apr 9, 2010)

Are you using pressure treated timber? - I only ask because of what you're making and it's the only wood I've found that won't rout successfully because its so wet.
Have you tried chamfering with a block plane?


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## Towtruck (Apr 4, 2011)

My picnic tables all get rounded both top and benches all around. I use 3/8 round over bit in a HF trim router, usually takes 6-8 minutes per table. Quick sanding afterward and tables are much better looking than with square corners.


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## krisrimes (Jun 17, 2011)

I am using pressure treated lumber and it does not route very well at all. I feel like the odds are that I am using too small of a round over bit. I am planning on trying a bigger bit tomorrow. I guess I was hoping that there was a technique out there that I wasn't thinking of.


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## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

1. I built a picnic table today. It sucked! I would never want to make another one. I love woodworking and any excuse to build something and I am all over it! However there is nothing fun about trying to make furniture out of construction lumber, and I hate working with PT.

2. Did something change with PT? I thought it was a big NO to use PT for seating or eating surfaces. I only used PT for the legs and the bench supports. The rest is doug fir which the lovely wife wants to paint.

I wanted to use cedar or Ipe, but the wife insists it will be painted no matter what wood I use, so PT and doug fir 2×6's it was (which the edges are already eased so I didn't need to do it)

Now I have to get that sticky, sappy, chemically sawdust off my circular saw and miter saw blades. There is no way any of this was going through the table saw. What a miserable experience.


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## Bobmedic (Sep 24, 2010)

You could try a technique called bump cutting. You basically go along an edge and keep the base on the surface of the piece and make a series of scallops and come back with a climb cut to clean up the rest of the material. So you would start the cut then skip a section less than the diameter of the cutter cut again and continue to the end. Then go in reverse climb cutting to clean up. It works very well with splintering woods and woods prone to burning. Maybe it will help here.


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## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

Are you using a good quality, sharp bit? Something like this from Infinity would be a good baseline tool (and tool price).

Point #2: Rate of feed is one of the 5 Considerations in cutting wood, and you have complete control with a router. If you are interested in speed, I'm wondering if you're feeding too fast to get a quality cut.

Kindly,

Lee


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## renners (Apr 9, 2010)

I'm not sure bit size will make a difference on this. The fibres rip instead of cut because they're wet. I think on an industrial scale the way they do this is all the shaping first and then send off for pressure treating. I have had the same issue with PT which will neither rout nor sand well.
The advantage of doing it this way is that you can shape the timber and and have it all cut ready for assembly, the treatment solution will penetrate all the cut edges as well.
I don't know what's available where you are. There's a timber mill in my village that makes fence stakes and rails of all different sizes with a vacuum chamber on site - if you have one locally, ask if you could get a pallet of stuff treated.
Alternatively, if you know a joiner who makes sash windows, find out how they get them treated. 
As it's probably already too late for this consignment, I'd try rounding all the edges first and then leaving them out in the sun for a day or two, then try going over them again. They might take an edge better if they're drier. 
Good luck!


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## Sylvain (Jul 23, 2011)

Have a look at this Paul Sellers video


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## LukieB (Jan 8, 2012)

You could try this??
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Stanley-Sweetheart-No-29-corner-radius-cutting-tool-good-condition-/350579071149?pt=UK_Collectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item51a02418ad#ht_500wt_1287


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

A few swipes with a low angle block plane might get the job done.


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