Routing Zebrawood

[Don L Johnson]

I want to use a "junior" raised panel bit for routing the top of a jewelery box. I've got the zebrawood to 1/2" thickness, but concerned that a router bit might destroy the wood. Does anyone have experience with this? Is there a proper way to route zebrawood? Thanks,

[John Michaels]

I made some legs for a table out of 8/4 zebrawood. I used a round over bit on the edges and everything went smooth. Zebrawood is very unpredictable though. Can you test your setup on a scrap first?

[James Biddle]

Don't try to route the entire profile in one shot. Zebrawood, like many other woods, will tear out from a agressive cut. Sneak up on the profile using lighter cuts or smaller bits so that the final cut is only about 1/16". Watch out and go especially light on any edges the bit cuts into the wood where the edge is weakly supported (corners, curves, etc.). With Zebrawood, sometimes chips will tear out from those weaker ares despite your care. Try to save and reattach the expelled chip and save the piece.

[Dewey Torres]

James has you on the right track. The stuff chips and tears unpredictably and often so don't give up if you mess up a piece trying it. It also smells like a wet dog when you cut it... never figured that one out:confused:.

[Larry Edgerton]

I will ocasionally make T&G for the exposed backs of display cabinets out of Zebrawood and it is a pain in the ear. I will usually finish sand it to final thickness to avoid tearout, and then run it on the shaper in reverse [climb cut] in light passes, probably 1/32" at a pass until it is to the last pass, then I change direction and run normal for the final cleanup pass. You can do the same with router if you are comfortable with this, but most beginner books will tell you never to climb cut. Your call.

"DO NOT" try to climb cut with a router in a router table, especially fed by hand. Fed by hand could take on a whole new meaning. Router tables make me nervious, too much flex, too little motor, just not my thing.

If I am climb cutting with a router I will ALWAYS have the workpeice clamped and run the router with BOTH hands on the router. If both hands are on the router they will not be in the cutter. You can change the bearings so that they are limited in the amount it can take at one pass, and slowly reduce bearing size until it is original. That way it is safer, and can only bite so far into the wood.

Just my 2 cents....

[Don L Johnson]

The ending to this story is good. I decided not to use my CMT panel cutting bit, as it had a back cutter, so I couldn't sneak up on the end cut. I got me a new Whiteside medium sized panel cutting bit and did ever-so-small cuts; end grain first and then long grain. Every thing worked out fine, with no tear out. Thanks for the support and advice.

[Dewey Torres]

The ending to this story is good. I decided not to use my CMT panel cutting bit, as it had a back cutter, so I couldn't sneak up on the end cut. I got me a new Whiteside medium sized panel cutting bit and did ever-so-small cuts; end grain first and then long grain. Every thing worked out fine, with no tear out. Thanks for the support and advice.

That's what I am talking about Don!

Do you have a pic to share?

[Don L Johnson]

Here's a picture of the raised panel from Zebrawood

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g72/donj441/100_0922.jpg