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Make your final two passes with the fence adjusted flush to the bearing’s rim (see Photo 7). or so each time to expose more cutter do not change the bit height. Now, make more passes, shifting the fence back about 1/8-in. Make the first set of passes, flipping the workpiece over between cuts to center the groove. or so of the slot-cutter projects beyond the fence - a deeper pass is too much waste to remove safely. Now shift the fence so only about 1/4-in. Step 2: If the fence facings are adjustable, close up the fence around the bit to eliminate gaps around the cutters.
#Tongue and groove router bits for 3 4 flooring install
Install the slot cutter, and adjust the bit height to meet the layout marks (see Photo 6). Mark a workpiece that centers the groove location, as in Step 1 of the first technique. Install a bearing on your bit so the amount of cutter projection from the rim to the edge matches the depth of the groove you want to make. Step 1: A slot-cutting bit can mill both halves of a T&G joint. Often this is all it takes to whisk off the last bit of waste and improve the fit. Press down harder when feeding the wood along. If the tongue is still too snug, try running the tongue workpiece over the cutters one more time without changing the bit height at all. The parts should slide together with a bit of friction, but it shouldn’t take force. Step 6: Test-fit the joint (see Photo 5). Raise the bit until it just intersects the bottom wall of the groove (see Photo 4), and make two more passes to shave the tongue to final thickness. Step 5: When the tongue nearly fits the slot, use the grooved workpiece to dial in the final bit height. with each round of passes to remove more waste.
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Then, repeat, raising the bit about 1/8-in.
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Make two passes over the bit - one into each face of the workpiece - to form the rough tongue shape (see Photo 3). Again, install a featherboard to keep the workpiece on track while you slide it along the fence. or so of the cutters are above the table. Step 4: The cleanest, safest way to mill the tongue is to rout away the waste a little at a time and not with a couple of heavy passes. Install the bit, and adjust the router table’s fence so its faces are flush with the bearing rim (see Photo 2). You want the distance from the bearing’s rim to the edge of the cutters to match the tongue length you want to make. But first, install the appropriate-sized bearing on the bit. Step 3: You’re done with the straight bit, so switch to the rabbeting bit. deeper than the tongue will be long the open space at the bottom of the assembled joint will give the glue some room to migrate so the parts close properly. Note: It’s a good idea to make the groove about 1/32-in. at a time and repeat the process until you reach the groove depth you want. Two passes will ensure that the groove is perfectly centered. Once you’ve completed the first pass, clear out any debris from the groove, then flip the workpiece end-for-end and make a second pass (see Photo 1). Step 2: Push the stock through the bit using moderate feed speed. Clamp a featherboard to the table to press the wood firmly against the fence. Adjust and lock the fence so the bit is centered between its reference marks with the workpiece held in place. Install the straight bit in your router table, and raise it about 1/4-in. Hair-splitting accuracy isn’t crucial here - just get them close. Mark your workpiece with a couple short reference lines for centering the bit on the thickness of the wood. straight bit or spiral upcut bit makes an ideal groove-cutter into the edge of a workpiece. Step 1: Generally speaking, it’s easier to cut the groove of a T&G joint first, then mill the tongue to fit the groove. You can do it all at the router table easily with three different cutter approaches. Cutting the narrow centered groove and the corresponding tongue to fit into it doesn’t take a dado blade and table saw. There are DIY applications for this joint too, such as V-groove wainscot or wood flooring. Tongue-and-groove (T&G) joints form sturdy, interlocking connections with lots of glue surface area for all sorts of woodworking applications: cabinet door joints, self-aligning shelf edging, web or face frames and even carcass assembly. There’s no need for a dado blade if you have a router table and a few common bits.
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