: I am getting ready to rout bead and coves and have a question. What
: is the standard way of feeding the strips into the table? I have
: read on one oceans site and another that I cannot remember now
: that "back routing" is the way to do it as in feed the
: strip with the rotation of the cutter giving you a very clean
: cut. Now I dont have any experience with a router table but this
: seems like a risk. I dont want projectiles with rifle like force
: shooting across the shop. Is this actually the way this is done?
: Nicks second book says to feed against the rotation this seems
: more logical.

Hi there

I'm a rookie and milled my first run of strips about this time last year. I used the combination bit available from one ocean kayaks. Although I've got nothing to compare it to, it worked great. I fed it against the direction of the router. This worked fine for the cove cutter, which has a wide radius. The bead radius on that bit is a lot smaller, and I did find there was some tear out if I fed it too quickly. It helps to feed the strips to suit the grain (one of my planks had beautiful straight grain, one had the grain at more of an angle). Having tight finger boards really helped too.

: Another question I have ripped quarter inch strips anybody with
: experience care to throw 2 cents towards the "best"
: depth to cut the cove into the strips? Again Nicks second book
: has a page that shows four pics of different depths I think the
: shallow cove would be best. I am just fishing for input from
: those who have been there so any thoughts would be great.

I cut it deep enough that there was a thin section on each side. If you cut it too shallow you create work for yourself later in fairing, since it lacks overlap with the bead of the next strip. Too deep and you end up with feather thin sides and they break really easily. Put it this way - I'm a rookie and they came out fine, so you'll work it out!

For what it's worth, as a new builder, I found the cove and bead really helpful (over a bevel approach). I'm building a Guillemot, and the considerable curves meant the cove/bead was very helpful to keep the strips in check. I did do some bevel pieces but for these just planed off the cove/bead. I think the whole routing process took maybe 4 hours including thinking, making finger boards, setting up table, adjusting bit height (which takes AGES but is definitely worth persevering with to get right!) and actually routing the strips. Time well spent methinks.

http://ianjohnsonz.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/milling-the-strips/

Cheers!

Ian

: Thanks
: Dave