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Thread: How to avoid Tear out when beveling end grain of an oval cherry table top

  1. #1
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    Exclamation How to avoid Tear out when beveling end grain of an oval cherry table top

    Hi everyone,

    I am building a table and approaching completion. But now I have to bevel the top. I am doing a 25 degree bevel on the underside. The top is made out of glued up cherry boards and I am starting to get a lot of tear out on the end grain at both ends of the table.

    I had to stop about 1/8" from finishing the entire bevel. The table top is 7/8" thick. I am using a pretty generic brand chamfering bit. I am thinking of buying an Amana chamfering bit but I am afraid there's the possibility of getting the same result.

    I wonder if there's another technique of doing this to avoid tear out. I know some people build a ramp and run the router to do the bevel. I am not sure if meeting the edge of the table with the bottom of the router bit would make any difference.

    I also have a compression bit with the bearing at the top. it is about 1" cutting edge and 7/8" diameter, so it's a hefty and strong bit. I would have to build a small ramp that I can attach to the route or to the top, and try to run the bit at an angle while trying to run the bearing on the flat edge of the top. The goal is to leave about 1/4 to 3/16 that won't be beveled.

    I hope part of this makes sense.

    I also wonder if oiling, sealing the edges would provide moisture on the end grain and help avoid tear out. This is just a conjecture not sure if it would do anything.

    I am starting to feel desperate because I only have about 1/8 or less to complete the bevel and avoid tear out.

  2. #2
    You could try sanding in the chamfer, either by hand or very carefully with a random orbit.

    Since this is the Neaderthal forum for the hand tool afflicted, you might see a lot of answers coming about finely sharpened planes and spokeshaves

  3. #3
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    Daniel, “tear out” can mean different things, as you describe what is occurring.

    You note, “tear out on the end grain at both ends of the table”. This sounds to me what I would call spelching, or break out, as some prefer. It is the breaking away of wood fibers which are weakened as they do not have support around them. Tear out, proper, would refer to the lifting of wood fibers as the blade gets under them.

    This spelching usually is prevented by planing the end grain ends first, and then finishing by planing the long grain sides, which removes any broken wood. The other strategy is to plane the end grain ends from the outside inwards, rather than straight across from one end to the other.

    EDIT: Just re-read your post and realised you are using a router (I skipped that assuming this forum is about hand tools ... but the router is a hand tool!). What you need to do is a climb cut at the far end (where you exit the cut). A climb cut is where you come in from the outside - the reverse of the usual direction (hold the router tightly!). The climb cut does not need to be much more that 1" - this will prevent the spelching. You can then complete the routed bevel.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Last edited by Derek Cohen; 10-23-2021 at 10:28 PM.

  4. #4
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    Daniel do you have a hand plane? This is an example of where they really work well compared to a router. How far under the table does the taper extend? A hand plane will get you the effect you want with little effort.
    ​You can do a lot with very little! You can do a little more with a lot!

  5. #5
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    Hi William
    Thank you for the reply. It's a 25 degree bevel so it extends no more than 1/2 to 5/8 I believe. I'm not at the shop now so I can tell exactly but that's a good approximation.

    Edit: it actually extends only 5/16 when finish it would extend no more than 7/16

    I do have e hand plane but it's a bit too heavy for this operation. But I could try. I also need to buy a block plane. I have to look into this so I get an appropriate plane. Maybe you have a suggestion.

    Thanks again
    Last edited by Daniel Bejarano; 10-24-2021 at 3:44 PM. Reason: Accuracy

  6. #6
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    Hi Daniel and welcome to the Creek. You have not included your location in your profile information. You may live near another member who would be willing to work one on one with you on this.

    If you are in the Portland, OR area, it could be arranged for you to test drive a few planes for this project.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  7. #7
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    With a bevel angle that large the true thickness of the wood will be visible from the side, the illusion will be lost! A shallower angle going back further will keep the illusion.
    Any hand plane will work but a shorter #4 smoother or #5 jack would be easier. You can plane inside out with the grain holding the plane to achieve the bevel. Holding it at a slight angle and working the end grain from the outside to the middle as Derek suggests.
    Your results and final appearance will be far better.
    ​You can do a lot with very little! You can do a little more with a lot!

  8. #8
    I generally work with cherry and have done lots of end grain routing with good results. Buy the best quality bit you can afford: Amana, Whiteside, Freud, CMT, etc. Run the bit at the recommended speed for the bit diameter. As you move router across work, watch your speed: you don't want to go so slow as to burn the cherry, but too fast will not the help cause. If you wanted to get fancy, you could replace the bearing with a larger diameter bearing (or series of bearings) that will allow you to sneak up on the final cut (but I think this is probably not necessary). I assume we are talking about a bit that looks something like this?

    71cywRHPPtL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

  9. #9
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    Hi Phil,
    Thank you for replying. I can’t see the pic since I don’t have all the privileges yet on this website. The bit I have is 1/2 shank, 1-1/4 d , and 7/8 cutting height. I tried looking for a bit like this by Amana but had no luck. I’m positive this is a 25 degree angle. It was a bit I borrowed so there’s no description on its shank as usual. But I gaged a piece of wood I cut at that angle and it matches. Whatever the case I couldn’t find a bit like this by amana. I want to get the best possible bit

  10. #10
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    Thank you Jim
    I’m actually in Queens and Brooklyn, New York. Could I do the same thing of test driving a plane in this area?

  11. #11
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    I also did that Derek and still was getting the same result

  12. #12
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    Is this a round table or a rectangular one?

  13. #13
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    It’s and oval table, 42” by 74”

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Daniel Bejarano View Post
    Hi Phil,
    Thank you for replying. I can’t see the pic since I don’t have all the privileges yet on this website. The bit I have is 1/2 shank, 1-1/4 d , and 7/8 cutting height. I tried looking for a bit like this by Amana but had no luck. I’m positive this is a 25 degree angle. It was a bit I borrowed so there’s no description on its shank as usual. But I gaged a piece of wood I cut at that angle and it matches. Whatever the case I couldn’t find a bit like this by amana. I want to get the best possible bit
    OK, if you are in Brooklyn (26th Street), try Tools for Woodworking: they carry Whiteside and seem to have a good assortment of edge bevel bits, although you might have to settle for 22.5 degrees. Of course, there is always Amazon.

    One other thing you could try, decrease the depth of cut and make successive passes, each time making small increments until you reach your final depth (should have mentioned this earlier). Try it on some scrap with the bit you now have and if that still does not work, head over to TFWW.

    https://toolsforworkingwood.com/stor...s+by+Whiteside

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Daniel Bejarano View Post
    I also did that Derek and still was getting the same result
    Daniel, a climb cut (at the end of the board) should work. If not so, then you are taking too large a cut. Try 1/16" at a time at the ends, (and feed slower?).

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

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