Router Edging Quality Questions. Solid clear pine cab

[keithb7]

Hi folks,

We're building a solid pine 5E3 cab. After spending much time carefully handling the wood, and fitting box joints tightly together, it was time for the 3/8 radius edging to be cut
on a router table. It was very difficult to prevent the router bit from ripping out smaller chunks or splinters of wood from the cab. Even with a new sharp bit. Is there a trick to this? How can a nice clean
edge be maintained?

My wife is actually the woodworker in our house. I do amp electronics as a hobby. I asked her to build me 3 qty 5E3 cabs. This is her first try here at building an amp cab for me.

First pic here you can see a piece was ripper off the cab while routing the edge.



Next pic here you can see where we had to add wood filler in the box joints after routing. The joints were very cleanly cut and glued together. The router chewed things up more than expected.
Any tips appreciated. Thanks, Keith

[Chuck H]

Bummer! I've never had that problem with a sharp router blade, but it's been many years since I made a cabinet. I know a lot of stuff comes from overseas that didn't use to, so I wonder what "new" could mean WRT actual even sharpness. That remote potential not withstanding... It helps A LOT to move slowly and just sand out any mild browning from heat.

Depending on how you intend to finish the cabinets you may be able to apply a "wood hardener" prior to routing. These products penetrate and bind the wood fibers to give them more cohesion to each other. That would almost surely help stability during routing. As to finishing...

Pine doesn't stain worth a $h!t! It comes out horribly blotchy and just looks dirty and uneven so you're pretty much reduced to sprayed and tinted color coats for tint. You may be able to brush something like amber shellac (very quickly) for an antique natural look but it's tricky. Because there are so many angles and stop points on a cabinet it's VERY hard to avoid finish lapping with a brush. Spraying is MUCH better. There shouldn't be any problem using a wood hardener then. In fact it may even eliminate a sealer step with an alternate product before the color coats.

From a guy that's done it. Even messed it up and redone it

JM2C

EDIT: IIRC the standard instrument cabinet routing on most vintage amps is 1/2". So it may be possible, after the fill, to clean up the joint a little with the slightly deeper route. Just thinking out loud.

[nosaj]

Hi folks,

We're building a solid pine 5E3 cab. After spending much time carefully handling the wood, and fitting box joints tightly together, it was time for the 3/8 radius edging to be cut
on a router table. It was very difficult to prevent the router bit from ripping out smaller chunks or splinters of wood from the cab. Even with a new sharp bit. Is there a trick to this? How can a nice clean
edge be maintained?

My wife is actually the woodworker in our house. I do amp electronics as a hobby. I asked her to build me 3 qty 5E3 cabs. This is her first try here at building an amp cab for me.

First pic here you can see a piece was ripper off the cab while routing the edge.



Next pic here you can see where we had to add wood filler in the box joints after routing. The joints were very cleanly cut and glued together. The router chewed things up more than expected.
Any tips appreciated. Thanks, Keith

Are you doing it freehand or with a router table?

Years ago when I first tried routing I used pine and it being soft did the same thing freehand not so much with a table.
These days I work with rock maple and the harder wood doesn't tear out at all.

nosaj

[Jazz P Bass]

In machinist/ metal working, there is a feed and a speed for every material & tool.

Even a file or a hacksaw has a feed & speed.

When routing soft woods, you would be better off making multiple cuts.

And you must pay attention to the grain of the wood.

10 Tips for Making Clean Cuts With Router Bits / Rockler How-to

[Bill Moore]

I just assembled a speaker cab for little practice combo amp I'm turning into a head/speaker combo. I had been using a standard 1/2" router bit, (no bearing), and free handing my previous cabs, but I picked up a (cheap) router table, and attempted to route the edge in one pass, the cab rocked and gouged the edge. I ordered a carbide bit, (with a bearing), and made the cuts in 3 passes, with good results. (Since I'm covering the cab, I use Bondo to patch the gouges).

[Chuck H]

Since it came up...

As a painting contractor I use A LOT of patching compound. Automotive BONDO is good. The "BONDO" brand all purpose patching compound (two component like "BONDO") is good. The Minwax product is better. The Evercoat product is my favorite. They all work fine and I've never had a problem with performance or finishing on any of them. The Evercoat product seems to be less sensitive to mix ratio, has a little more open time, sags less during it's working time and is PLENTY strong and hard, but sands just a little better with less of that sticky, epoxy resin residue after it's hard. It's also the cheapest of the three brands. The BONDO product is what I have in my truck right now because that's what the last vendor I shopped had in stock (just so you know I don't have a problem with it) but it's my least favorite and the most expensive of the three. Ace usually has the Evercoat brand in stock. It's their two component product called all purpose patching compound.

JM2C

[catalin gramada]

Hi. With my little woodworking experience I can give some suggestions as follow-
The direction of router bit rotation should be in the same direction you move the tool forward and not against.
Work in respect as fiber direction goes
You can stabilise mechanic the edges first for very fragile fibers with some resin film at surface or even adesive tape then to cut the edges and remove it then. Don.t use materials which can impregnate deep into fiber
Also you can try to put not much effort into one cut step.You can do the cut progressive in 2-3 steps
By you pics I Don.t think it is a router problem. A used router bit burn not chop.

[Mick Bailey]

+1 on multiple passes.

For me, I wouldn't use a table - I'd rather do cabinets handheld where I can see the cut as I'm working. I first set the router up on scrap, and then take multiple light passes on the actual job. If there's a problem a shallow cut gives time to reassess the operation. Some softwoods are very quickly grown and the timber you picture appears to have widely spaced growth rings. This means you have spongy timber between the rings that's easy to tear. Close rings means harder and more consistent timber (and more durable/dense/stronger).

That's a really nice cab and I feel your pain.

[Chuck H]

Also... When using a hand router it (an old one like mine) it's a good idea to cover the plenum with masking tape. The slick surface of the tape improves slide and eliminates small scratches to the wood reducing finish sanding effort.

[Mike F1]

Climb Cut and/or multiple passes.

Climb Cutting