Router tearout on curly maple

[Matt Wolboldt]

I was routing a rabbet in some curly maple and I got a huge amount of tearout along the rabbet. Even the edge that the rabbeting bit was riding against got all wavy and is no longer smooth and straight. Any tips for doing this? Thanks

[Dewey Torres]

1) brand/model of bit
2) size of bit
3) depth of cut

and

4) if you can.. a pic of the maple and possibly a pic of the bit (to check it's condition) pics are worth 1000 <--- scratch that a million words!

These 4 will inputs fetch a much more accurate response if you can accommodate.

[Matt Wolboldt]

Sure enough:
1. Whiteside Rabbeting bit
2/3. The depth of the Rabbet is 0.5" (the width of the rabbet is 0.5"), 0.5" shank.
Thanks for any help.

[Paul Atkins]

Are you trying to cut this all in one pass? Try 2 passes taking 3/4 of it on the first pass - might help.

[Ron Bontz]

Just a thought. If you have a lot of these to do, you might try a 1/2" up cut carbide spiral bit. 2 flute. Providing you have one. Take care.:)

[Steve Jenkins]

if you climb cut the first pass just taking alittle bit off it will eliminate the tearout on the outside corner of the rab. I just freehand that first pass then reverse direction and cut full depth.

[Larry Fox]

I have found that the only way I can eliminate tearout (especially on the jointer) on tiger maple is to take many VERY light passes. Other techniques I have tried drastically cut down on it but that is the only one that has all but eliminated it for me with this particular type of wood.

[Fred Belknap]

Had the same problem with some cherry recently. I used several passes and ran it backward aka climb cut.

[Matt Wolboldt]

You guys nailed it, I tried to take the cut all in one pass. So the question is when you say make multiple passes, do you mean one pass where the bearing isn't riding the piece, and then another pass where it is for cleanup. Or do you mean in the depth of the cut, where the bearing is always riding on the edge? Thanks for the help.

[pat warner]

Just part of routing but manageable nevertheless.
See Teaout (http://patwarner.com/tearout.html) link.

[David DeCristoforo]

I use something very similar to this:

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=922

to score the wood first. Sometimes CM will chip no matter how slowly you go or how light a pass you make. Pre-scoring will "fix" the problem (next time!).