which wood will route the best?

[Neil Bosdet]

I am quoting on a large wine cellar. For the project I will need to route 1/4" round over edges on 3800 pieces of 3/4" strips of wood. This will include the tips, rounding over 3 edges (one is nailed to the upright). Sample attached in a photo. Customer is choosing between cherry and african mahogany. Peruvian walnut could also be an option. Which will route the best with the least chipping and burning?

The last one I did was oak and that was years ago. I can't remember major issues but I'm seeing issues on some test pieces and am concerned.

[shane lyall]

Cherry can be touchy with anything but a sharp bit and steady feed rate. I did a project several years ago in mahogany remember it taking an edge well. With that said, I'd look into a power feeder with that many pieces.

[scott vroom]

African mahogany is the softer of the 3 woods mentioned and should be the easiest to mill.

[Peter Quinn]

African mahogany hasnso manyngrain changes if the stock is not carefully chosen it can be difficult. Cherry will burn if your feed rate slows. A feeder will makemthings easier, a shaper will makemthem easier still. Remember to use very bits and be prepared to mill extra pineal footage of your material. Defects happen. Also, those parts in your photo look more like an 1/8" round over to my eye, which will be easier to mill in any species with a router.

[pat warner]

Sharp cutters are key, species not that important, especially if the climb cut is allowed.
Appreciate, the sharpness 1/2 life of most cutters is <300'!
As such, llight cuts or stage cutting will extend cutter life.
That is, waste 80+% of the stock with a cutter, no matter what its sharpness.
Then do the finish cuts with a new cutter.
And whenever possible, unbrazed carbide (insert tooling) will out last brazed-on carbide by 3 - 5x.
With your length of run,
I'd consider insert tooling.

[Neil Bosdet]

Also, those parts in your photo look more like an 1/8" round over to my eye, which will be easier to mill in any species with a router.

Thanks for pointing that out. I checked and it's actually a 3/16" round over bit. I had tried 1/8" which was too small already.

Any of you worked with the Peruvian walnut?

[Neil Bosdet]

And whenever possible, unbrazed carbide (insert tooling) will out last brazed-on carbide by 3 - 5x.
With your length of run,
I'd consider insert tooling.

Where do you get these "insert tooling" bits?

[Jon McElwain]

Where do you get these "insert tooling" bits?

Try these guys.

http://www.amanatool.com/in-nova.html

[Neil Bosdet]

Thanks for the tip. Checked it out but the smallest round over they make is 1/4".