There is no miter slot in
the Sommerfeld router table. He uses a pushblock that guides against the fence for
accurate, controlled cuts. That pushblock does the work of moving the workpiece through
the cutter. My left hand simply positions the workpiece against the fence.
The zero clearance fence allows the workpiece to slide by the cutter opening
without catching and hanging up.
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This pushblock is
nothing more than a standard rubber soled pushblock screwed to a piece of 3/4" MDF.
The MDF block gives a good square edge to locate against the fence. It also serves as a
backer board and reduces tearout of the oak.
This close-up shows the correct profile of the cope bit. Note the bottom lip.
That is the one that I used the Formica chip to set the 1/8".
When this pushblock base is done, I will unscrew the MDF portion and label
it; "Setup Block — Cope Cut."
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The cutting of
the rail ends is quick and accurate.
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With the rail ends all
cut, it is time to change to the other bit of the matched set. This will profile the ogee
edge along the lengths of the rails and stiles. This edge will "frame" the
raised panel.
"Matched set" means that I can insert the new bit and have it at
the right height without any further adjustments. The O-rings at the bottom of the collet
allow me to do that. I simply insert it and press down until I can feel the spring of the
O-ring. Then, I use the bent wrench to lock the collet. Bit changing can't be easier than
that.
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You can see that I have
inverted the fence insert. This gives me a new area in which I can cut the "zero
clearance" for this new bit. As I said before, each insert allows me to cut profiles
of two bits.
I have moved the fence into the moving cutter to start the cut. With the
router stopped, I trace the outline of the top bearing section.
As before, I cut this section out at the bandsaw.
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Having made my
bandsaw cuts and with the router running, I move the fence forward into the router until
the entire profile is cut. Remember, I have set the speed to the lowest for this insert
cutting operation.
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As I did before, I move
the entire fence laterally and elongate the profile cut just slightly. Once that is done,
I center the insert on the bit.
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I set the fence so
that it is aligned to the bit's pattern bearing. I am ready to make a test cut.
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With a piece of MDF
screwed to the pushblock, I make a trial cut on one side.
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The new cut is on the
right. It fits perfectly with the MDF that is the "Setup block" from our rail
end cope cuts. That is the true test of "matched set" router bits. It is time to
cut wood.
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I start with the rails and
stiles of the drawers. Since they are short, I use two push shoes — one to keep the
rail flat on the table, the other to keep it against the fence. You can see that I have
clamped feather boards before and after the cutter. These are for safety but also allow a
more constant pressure and therefore provide a smoother cut.
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The first rail and stile
corner — it looks good to me!
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The stiles have square cut
ends, so get profiled by just running normally. The rails and mullions, on the other hand,
have ends that have been coped. I use the MDF block that I just shaped to fit into the end
of the rail. This tight fit greatly reduces tearout in the cope profile.
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This is what that looks
like. My right hand pushes the pushblock with the shaped edge which mates with the end of
the rail. My left hand uses the push shoe to give firm pressure against the workpiece.
It really is a very simple and smooth operation. When it is time to cut the
stiles with squared ends, I rotate the push block so that a flat edge pushes the
workpiece.
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Well, here is my layout
table — and the progress so far. Every edge is profiled. I can now move to the
final stage — cutting the raised panels.
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As you
can see, I have installed a new insert in the fence and have cut it with the profile of
the large, raised panel cutter. The steps are exactly the same as with the other
shapes.
Here, I am aligning the fence with the pattern bearing. This will be my
final cut, but I will make this profile in several cuts.
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I have added a small
piece of masking tape to the adjustment end of the fence. The mark at the far left is the
position of the fence aligned to the bearing.
The fence is located now for the first cut. The marks in between are my marks
for the progressive cuts. You can see that the third mark is very close to the final. That
is on purpose. I want the final cut to be a finishing cut.
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Even with the final cut
marked on the masking tape, I always set the final cut using a straight edge and the
pattern bearing. The masking tape is for estimating the earlier cuts.
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The rail and stile cutting
bits were "matched sets" and needed no resetting of router depth. The panel
cutter does require some minor resetting. It is easy to do. I use the sample from the end
cope cutter to make the alignment. The bearing of the panel bit should line up with the
"tongue" of the end cope. I have added the yellow bar just to help you
visualize.
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As before, I make my trial cut in a piece of MDF. I make the cut
in three passes, moving the fence back a bit each time.
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Is that a good fit, or
what? I test fit the raised panel sample (right) into the rail profile I had just cut.
The raised panel does not have to be flush with the stile and rail. Some
people like the raised panel to be a bit "proud". However, if you make it level
with the frame, it is much easier to sand the completed assembly as a unit. That is what I
want to do.
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I cut the panels. I always
start by cutting one of the end grains and working around the panel. I made the panel
raising cut in 4 separate cuts...each time moving the fence back about 1/4". This oak
is hard but really machined very well. I took the 4 cuts mainly so that the final cut
could be the very slightest cut.
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Here is one of the drawer
fronts dry fitted together. It is a perfect raised panel. To me, it is a true testament to
a very smooth table, a great fence system and very sharp bits.
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