Router bit need to cut groove for plywood bottom in a finger joint box

[John Adank]

Can anyone tell me what kind of bit I would need to cut the groove fo the plywood bottom to fit insides of a small finger jointed box? I remember seeing something in one of my catalogs but can't remember which one. I think it's some kind of slotting bit. I don't want the groove to show up on the outside of the box ends like they would if I cut them on my table saw. I'm assuming I would need a router bit of some kind

[Darius Ferlas]

You can use a slotting bit, a table saw or dowels.

[pat warner]

Would look at WMC's small diameter 2 wing slotters.

[Stephen Cherry]

1/4 spiral upcut, using stop blocks to plunge and lift the cut on the router table?

[John Jarrett]

You could check out these bits that Lee Valley sells for this purpose.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=47818&cat=1,46168,46176

[Howard Acheson]

What is the width of the slot to be? Sounds like what you need is a straight bit of the proper diameter. You can get straight bits down to 1/16".

[glenn bradley]

You could check out these bits that Lee Valley sells for this purpose.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=47818&cat=1,46168,46176



I have the Lee Valley bits and while they do get tighter into the corners of a temporarily assembled box, I am sorry to say that I get an unreasonable amount of tearout. I have switched back to using a vertical straight bit and making through-slots on two sides and stopped slots on the others. I really with the small slot cutters worked better since the concept of cutting the slot with the four sides assembled is good. They appear sharp so it may be the geometry or the diameter/speed. I will play with the speed and if I get an improvement I will post results.

[Michael Heffernan]

Straight bit or upcut spiral straight bit with stops on the router fence for both ends of the box sides that the groove will run into the box fingers. The other two sides where the groove will fall out on the pin of the joint just run them through along the fence (stops removed). Select the diameter bit that matches the thickness of the box bottom panel.

[Rick Moyer]

1/4 spiral upcut, using stop blocks to plunge and lift the cut on the router table?


Straight bit or upcut spiral straight bit with stops on the router fence for both ends of the box sides that the groove will run into the box fingers. The other two sides where the groove will fall out on the pin of the joint just run them through along the fence (stops removed). Select the diameter bit that matches the thickness of the box bottom panel.

Yep. Or use a smaller bit than the ply, e.g. an 1/8", and move the fence accordingly to get the right width.