Cutouts from 3/4 ply with router?

[Dick Brown]

I am wanting to make some saw handle type push sticks for my woodworking buddies for Christmas. I have cut a couple on the band saw and works o.k. but takes a bit of smoothing of the cut before doing the corner round overs. Have not done much with the router table and a pattern following bit but don't know how it would work so asking for advice. Can you do 3/4 BB ply in one pass, what size bit, straight cut, up cut, ???? Any guidance or ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Dick

[Kent A Bathurst]

I doubt it - that is a lot of material to remove in one pass.

But - if you rough-cut it on the BS - staying just wide of the line - then you should be able make the clean-up finish cut in one pass wit the router.

[Matt Day]

Cutting 3/4" ply in one pass, with any size bit, is tough - on tooling, router, dust control, noise, etc. I'd cut them out quickly on the bandsaw ~1/8" to the line (you can probably do a couple/few at at time using double sided tape to hold them together), then clean up on the router table with a template bit.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I rough them out with the band saw, then using either bushing or bearing guided bit and template bring them to finish size. Then radius edges on hand hold and top of body. A triple wing round over from MLCS beats any other bit I have ever use for this operation.

[Bill Huber]

I have made some push blocks for friends so they would have good ones.

I made a template out of 1/4" MDF and double taped it to the stock, cut it on the band saw about a 1/16" from the line. I don't know what band saw you have but on my Jet 14" I use a duplicating pin from Rockler, makes it a lot easier. http://www.rockler.com/bandsaw-duplicating-pin

I use a up cut spiral pattern bit or a on the router table to do the finial cut, then a little sanding and its ready to go. http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/v120-0202/ea_-_spiral_bits

[Curt Harms]

You could do the cutouts with a router, it'd just take more than 1 pass. I typically do a first shallow pass to minimize surface tearout then about 1/4" at a time. I'm using a straight bit, might be different with a spiral.