Router leaving ridges while cleaning end grain

[Sean Hagerty]

I am making end grain cutting boards that are larger than I can run through my equipment. Once I perform the final glue up, I use a router planing jig to flatten the cutting boards. I use a Table Top Surface Planing Bottom Cleaning Router Bit. There are very tiny ridges or lines in the piece when I use this process. It happens with several bits I have of this type. I have tried going over the piece again with the router to clean them up, but am unable to completely remove them, sanding is not having any luck removing them either. Any thoughts on the cause, or how to remove them?
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Sean

[Jerry Miner]

These lines are normal. Different parts of the router bit "push" the fibers in different directions.

Sanding is the only answer I know of. Sanding end grain is slow and tedious, but be patient, you will get there

[Andy Giddings]

+1 on Jerry's comments. What are you using to sand the surface (apart from sandpaper of course :-)). Hand sanding - power tool - grit size - hard block or soft pad?

[Sean Hagerty]

ROS, starting at 40 grit. Wet the grain with water to raise, then when dry, sand. Rewet, dry and move to the next grit sandpaper. 40,60,80,120,180 and 220.

[John TenEyck]

Have you tried a dish bit? http://grizzly.com/products/Dish-Cutter-Bit-1-2-Shank/C1357?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_source=grizzly.com


John

[Sean Hagerty]

Have you tried a dish bit? http://grizzly.com/products/Dish-Cutter-Bit-1-2-Shank/C1357?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_source=grizzly.com


John

I have not, but will give it a try. Thank you.

[Andy Giddings]

Do you have a hard or soft pad on the ROS? Not sure that you need to keep wetting it. Never did with the ones I've made and they are smooth as the proverbial

[Sean Hagerty]

Since you asked, im not sure. Bosch ROS, says it has a soft microcellular backing pad, so I assume soft pad. Its model ROS20VSK

[Prashun Patel]

I get the same with bottom cleaning bits. They're good for doing large areas quickly, but JT's right, a dish cleaning bit doesn't leave track marks; the corners are radiused.

My bottom cleaning bit (or perhaps it's my router) is prone to slipping ever so slightly - or otherwise causing the depth to alter slightly, which means that I get not only ridges, but a surface that is very very slightly out of flat.

For cutting boards, I use a belt sander and 80 grit paper.

[Jerry Miner]

sanding is not having any luck removing them either.

ROS, starting at 40 grit. Wet the grain with water to raise, then when dry, sand. Rewet, dry and move to the next grit sandpaper. 40,60,80,120,180 and 220.

If you don't get the lines out with coarse grit, don't move on to finer grits until you do. Get the lines out first. Subsequent (finer) grits will take out the scratches from previous grits.

I like to use a hard pad for flat surfaces. A soft pad can leave a not-flat surface, IME.

A belt sander will eat wood faster than a ROS.

Not sure there is a benefit to "raising the grain" on end grain. Wetting the wood can soften the fibers, making them resistant to sanding. I would skip this step, use a hard pad, and fresh, sharp sandpaper.

I still think sanding is the answer. Keep at it. You'll get there.

[Andy Giddings]

Sean, if you have a hard pad, try it out. Hard to believe that 40grit paper is not removing router marks even on end grain and it sounds as if the soft pad is just floating over them. Although it will knock the ridge down some, I suspect it won't remove them completely. Is it a maple board?

[Sean Hagerty]

Wow, I really appreciate all the replies. I will try finding a hard pad for this sander or get another. I have a belt sander, I may throw that on it too.

Yes it is maple and hickory. :eek:

[Earl McLain]

I often do a damp wipe to raise grain--but only after the first pass with the highest grit i'm going to use, and only that one time--then a finish pass with the final grit. Does make for a nice finishing pass. Never done it on end grain--so no idea if it would be beneficial.
earl

[Ellery Becnel]

Sean I have had that exact same issue. I have tried different types of bits and that problem still surfaced. Ultimately I ended up building a "V" drum sander. It works really well. I'm sure a drum sander will do just as good of a job. I don't route the endgrain anymore. I just start to sand, unless there is too much misalignment in my final glueup. Then I will hand plane some of it to minimize the sanding time. I still use other sanding techniques to finish.

Ellery Becnel

[Sean Hagerty]

I went after this with a belt sander today. I HATE belt sanding. But I got it done.

On to 40 grit and all its pals. I have think I will pass on raising the grain this time, as the majority seem to think its un-needed.

Thanks again for all the help.

Sean

[Sean Hagerty]

Sean I have had that exact same issue. I have tried different types of bits and that problem still surfaced. Ultimately I ended up building a "V" drum sander. It works really well. I'm sure a drum sander will do just as good of a job. I don't route the endgrain anymore. I just start to sand, unless there is too much misalignment in my final glueup. Then I will hand plane some of it to minimize the sanding time. I still use other sanding techniques to finish.

Ellery Becnel

Do you put a router on long grain glue ups?

[Ellery Becnel]

I have. It works well using double sided tape, with light passes. I now have a jointer and a planer. I only use the router when I have a board wider than my planer. The end grain just tears out. Then the amount of sanding to clean it up is too much.