Seeking comments on adjustable bullnose edging router bit

Frank Pellow

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Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
This winter I will probably be making about 20 shelving units similar the four that are shown in the attached picture.

K1's drawer unit -11 -All the drawers have been finished -small.JPG

You will notice that, on shelves that I made last winter, I just left the plywood edges. I don’t like the wood edging tape that is often used to mask the plywood. I have taken now to gluing on narrow wood strips instead. I just spotted an item called an adjustable bullnose edging router bit in the Lee Valley catalogue and I am looking for advice from anyone who has had experience with such a bit. Here is a link: http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=53250&cat=1,46168,46182
 
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I've got one of those in my saved cart there at LV.
Just haven't bit the bullet yet.
 
Could you not do the same thing in two passes on a RT with a corner round over bit?

Still, it looks slick, and the ability to shim it to an exact size is good, as we all know how often plywood is EXACTLY 3/4" :rolleyes:
 
Couple of thoughts.

If you are always making a bullnose for a piece of hardwood that will be edge treatment for 3/4" ply, why not just get the right size?

That bit seems neat but I'm trying to understand how you get away without having a ridge in the middle as you seperate the cutters. Maybe it's understood you do and just knock it down somehow.
 
Couple of thoughts.

If you are always making a bullnose for a piece of hardwood that will be edge treatment for 3/4" ply, why not just get the right size?
Right size what what Brian?

That bit seems neat but I'm trying to understand how you get away without having a ridge in the middle as you seperate the cutters. Maybe it's understood you do and just knock it down somehow.
Good question.
 
Could you not do the same thing in two passes on a RT with a corner round over bit?

Still, it looks slick, and the ability to shim it to an exact size is good, as we all know how often plywood is EXACTLY 3/4" :rolleyes:
Probably but I two pass perations often don't work out as well for me in practice, as they sound like they should in theory. ANyway, right now, I don't own a router table.
 
Could you not do the same thing in two passes on a RT with a corner round over bit?...
I've done a lot of bullnose edges on cutting boards using this approach, but there's always some sanding to do afterwards. One issue I've seen with this method is on the second pass, there's not a lot for the guide bearing on the bit to ride on, since you already rounded over that part. On straight pieces a fence on the RT handles that problem, but I don't use a fence, since the corners of my boards are radiused, too.

Red%20Brown%20White%20Detail%20500.jpg

I've tried a full bullnose bit, but I haven't figured out an effective way to do the radiused corners with it. I like the idea of the guide bearing on the adjustable Lee Valley bit. I could use a template to handle the corners. (That's how I get the radiused corners in the first place...straight bearing-guided bit and a corner template. I should take a pic of the template and post it in the Jigs and Fixtures forum.)
 
I did get some comments from folks who have used this bit on the forum associated with Canadian Woodworking magazine. Some people also threw in some comments on a set of bits used for plywood edging and also available at Lee Valley (see: http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=50698&cat=1,46168)

The experiences are mixed, but I am convinced that the bits would be too finicky for me to set up properly. So, I will give both the original bit I asked about and the plywood edging bits a miss.

For those wanting more details, see the following thread at Canadian Woodworking: http://www.canadianwoodworking.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14335
 
Frank,
The way I go about it is to build the box, surface down some solid stock to 3/8"shy x 3/4" strong. Nail it it to the box with the nails directly in the center of the strips then using a trim router with a 3/8" r bit proceed to roundover the edges with the box laying on it's back to make it easier to rout. The router should clean up the joint where the strip meets the plywood due to the fact that the router bit is working as a pattern bit at that joint. Balance the router on that edge again to do the other side of the 3/4" plywood covered strip, you can do it with practice, Then take a flat bastard and mitre file the corners into the proper curved inside corner. Hope this is understandable as it works for me. Some sanding needed. Better with wood than words.
Shaz
 
Frank,
A Porter Cable #7301 HD is the one I have ab"used" for several years. It has worked out well for me and I would buy another if need be. The only situation on the negative side that occurs with this one, as I have found is when using a bit that cuts more than a trimmer might want too, occasionally we cut deeper "more wood" than we should, and the base "securing" knob loosens allowing the router to cut deeper still. This is remedied by using channel locks to snug the knob after depth is determined. With the 3/8" r cutting what you want you should have no problem. Remember, nail in the center of the 3/4" strip or you could hit a nail and create an exciting new profile with your 3/8"r bit.
Shaz
 
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