Flush trim small pieces, router or sander?

[travis howe]

Okay, I've already been slightly bitten once on my table router. I've cut out some templates and some of them are about the size of my hand, it just scares me to death to attempt cutting these w/ a flush router bit on this.

I was considering buying a set of those drum sanders that go on drill press that have the template bushing on it for this. Is this my best bet or are there alternatives I should consider?

Thinking this and cutting the pieces a bit closer to the lines on my band saw and it would be much safer?

Thanks!

Travis

[travis howe]

I discovered flush cut spiral bits, do these minimize kickback issues?

[David DeCristoforo]

Regardless of what cutter you use or what machine you are working on, working with small pieces is almost always dangerous. You need to make jigs and fixtures with "safe" handles and holding (clamping) systems to keep your hands away from the cutting edge. If you are uncertain as to how to do this, posting a picture of the piece you need to trim would give everyone a better idea about suggesting how you might proceed.

[Joe Cunningham]

Is it possible to use hand plane on your piece? I do a lot of hand work, so maybe that is just my bias, but when flush trimming a face frame on a cabinet, I just used a block plane.

[Bill Huber]

I had some very small parts (3/4 x 3 x 3/4) that I made templates for on a project, I did use the router for the finial cut BUT

I first cut them on the bandsaw to with-in about 1/16 of and inch of the template, you just are not taking off very much that way. I still took it very slow and easy and had no problems.

What I see from some other people is they just try and take off to much at a time with a router and a trim bit, in my opinion.

[Doug Shepard]

I've seen ads from a number of places selling a small parts routing jig that might be worthwhile. It looks like a method of clamping pieces with handholds spaced out away from the work. I dont personally have one so cant report how good they are. I just grab a large Jorgensen hand screw and lay it on the router table and clamp the work between the jaws then uses the screw handles as hand holds.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Another thing to consider when working with small things. When I turned the wheels for Bill's pull toy...I rough cut the wheels from some 8/4" kiln-dried maple. Then I used double-sided tape to tape them to a waste block in my chuck on the lathe. Then I turned the wheel. That way my tools were up against a spinning piece of wood and not up against the spinning metal jaws of the chuck. Double-side tape works well for holding small pieces.

[Bill Huber]

I discovered flush cut spiral bits, do these minimize kickback issues?

I am not sure of about the spiral bits but the trim bit that I use is called a down shear and that does help a lot, it just not at blunt hit on the wood, it comes in at an angle and does not grab like a straight bit does.

http://eagleamerica.com/down-shearflush-trim-bits/p/117%2D0842/

[John Nesmith]

Travis:

I've used sanding drums with a template guide on small parts with good results. I use this one: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16902&filter=drum%20sand

I cut close on the band saw to minimize the amount of sanding required.

[Ray Newman]

Depending upon what you need to do:

--Rough cut as clsoe as possible to layout line.

--If using a router table, intsall a starting pin

-- As one poster said small parts jig, such as one similar to that offered by Eagel America & others -- http://eagleamerica.com/product.asp?pn=420-1010

-- As slso suggested, an appropriate sized hand screw clamp would also work.

-- A rubber sanding/router mat --
http://eagleamerica.com/router---sanderfriction-mats/p/420%2D3536/

[travis howe]

Thanks everyone. I picked up the drum sander w/ the template guide to give that a shot. I like the other ideas as well. I think the biggest challenge w/ this as a small piece is the odd shape as well, it's about 5/8 thick a bit bigger than my palm and is sort of shaped like a fish tail...3inches that fans out and then is round on the end.

The hand screw idea might be worth a look too...I'm wondering if I can get enough of it in the clamp to not interfear w/ the router guide bearing? Is that how you generally do it or do you simple clamp, do what you can, remove and clamp agian and so on?

Thanks all!