Ken Cobbing
01-12-2021, 11:57 PM
Hi all,
I'm about to undertake my first template project with my 1/2" router and want to make sure I get it right - so I've come to all you old pros with a few questions :)
My project: I have had a couple of mirrors cut at the factory with fairly large corner radiuses (2-1/2"). I've attached an example photo of the inspiration that I'm using below. My plan is to adhere these mirrors to a 3/4" piece of Baltic birch plywood that will be used as a door for a medicine cabinet. The 13-ply edges will be finished with Osmo Polyx and left exposed for a modern look. I'd like to use the mirrors as templates and use a router to make an exact copy of the mirrors' dimensions/shapes in the plywood. In other words, I'd like the plywood cabinet door to be a flush copy of the mirror.
I do not have a router table yet so this would be done with a 1/2" handheld router.
I do not want to adhere the mirrors to the plywood panels until *after* I have routed them to the mirrors' dimensions. This is in case I make an error and wreck the plywood panel somehow during the process and want to start over, and also so that I can more easily sand the edges and apply the Osmo polyx and not get it on the mirror's edge.
My questions:
1. How do you decide if your template (mirrors in my case) go on top of the workpiece or underneath the workpiece?
2. If I place the templates (mirrors) on top of the workpiece, do you think there is very much risk of shattering the mirrors from the vibration of the router? I suppose the same risk may apply even if I place the mirrors underneath the workpiece.
3. Regardless of whether the mirrors/templates are placed underneath or on top of the workpiece, I plan on applying painter's tape to the edges of the mirrors to avoid them being scratched by the router bit's bearing. Is this a sound idea or is there a reason I would not want the bearing riding on top of tape?
4. What kind of router bit would best achieve a finely finished edge on the Baltic birch panels (since it will be left exposed)? From the reading I've done it sounds like I want a downcut spiral bit, but there is such a wide variety of template bits so I am not sure on exactly which bit would best serve my purpose. I normally buy Whiteside bits.
5. I know it will be an easier job with the router if I cut the panels close to the final dimensions, but how close is this normally done?
Thanks for reading!
I'm about to undertake my first template project with my 1/2" router and want to make sure I get it right - so I've come to all you old pros with a few questions :)
My project: I have had a couple of mirrors cut at the factory with fairly large corner radiuses (2-1/2"). I've attached an example photo of the inspiration that I'm using below. My plan is to adhere these mirrors to a 3/4" piece of Baltic birch plywood that will be used as a door for a medicine cabinet. The 13-ply edges will be finished with Osmo Polyx and left exposed for a modern look. I'd like to use the mirrors as templates and use a router to make an exact copy of the mirrors' dimensions/shapes in the plywood. In other words, I'd like the plywood cabinet door to be a flush copy of the mirror.
I do not have a router table yet so this would be done with a 1/2" handheld router.
I do not want to adhere the mirrors to the plywood panels until *after* I have routed them to the mirrors' dimensions. This is in case I make an error and wreck the plywood panel somehow during the process and want to start over, and also so that I can more easily sand the edges and apply the Osmo polyx and not get it on the mirror's edge.
My questions:
1. How do you decide if your template (mirrors in my case) go on top of the workpiece or underneath the workpiece?
2. If I place the templates (mirrors) on top of the workpiece, do you think there is very much risk of shattering the mirrors from the vibration of the router? I suppose the same risk may apply even if I place the mirrors underneath the workpiece.
3. Regardless of whether the mirrors/templates are placed underneath or on top of the workpiece, I plan on applying painter's tape to the edges of the mirrors to avoid them being scratched by the router bit's bearing. Is this a sound idea or is there a reason I would not want the bearing riding on top of tape?
4. What kind of router bit would best achieve a finely finished edge on the Baltic birch panels (since it will be left exposed)? From the reading I've done it sounds like I want a downcut spiral bit, but there is such a wide variety of template bits so I am not sure on exactly which bit would best serve my purpose. I normally buy Whiteside bits.
5. I know it will be an easier job with the router if I cut the panels close to the final dimensions, but how close is this normally done?
Thanks for reading!