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Jeff Greef Woodworking

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Page 2, Curved Cope Work
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STEP FIVE- STICK AND RABBET

Your bit set is designed to cut both the sticking and rabbet simultaneously, but for this procedure I did both separately because of the small size of the parts involved. With the parts still attached to the templates I cut the sticking profile into all the parts (photo 7). The bearing doesn't ride on the template for this step, but I kept the templates attached solely for the safety handles.

Photo 7- Cut the sticking shape into
all parts. Note that the bearing rides
on the part edge, not the template.
Attach the template to the parts for
the sake of the safety handles.

On curved parts such as these, there are invariably sections where the router is cutting against the grain. If you feed the part into the cutter against its rotation on these sections as one normally does, tearout will result. The solution is to cut these sections by feeding the part into the bit with the rotation of the cutter, called "climbing the cut." This is potentially dangerous because the cutter can grab the part and throw it. However, by following three rules I was able to do this safely;

-Always use safety handles attached to small parts.

-Apply firm, even pressure down onto the table throughout the cut.

-Make the cut in a series of light passes, 1/8th inch or so.

After I cut the sticking into all parts, I prepared to cut the rabbets. First, however, I set up the coping pass in order to get an example of the cope cut. This I used to adjust the height of the rabbet cutter for the rabbeting pass. This height determines the thickness of the sticking, and thus the fit of the sticking in the cope (see drawing 1). It is easier to adjust the thickness of the sticking to fit the cope than vice versa. This fit is critical because on many parts this is the entire joint.

Photo 8- After cutting the sticking,
set up the cope to get an example of its
cut. Then use this example to adjust the
height of the rabbeting cutter, and rabbet
all parts again attaching the templates and
safety handles.

Rabbeting Bits
Sets contain different sized bearings for different rabbet depths.


Benchtop Router Table With Porter Cable 690 Router


Rockler Router Table Package
Includes table top with quality fittings, adjustable fence AND Porter Cable 690 Router. Good deal.


Rockler Bench Top Router Table
Mount your router into this economical unit.

Photo 9- Attach whatever is necessary to
smaller parts to guarantee that you can
make the cuts on the router table safely,
even if it means driving nails into an
exposed surface.

Using the cope cut example I set up the rabbet cutter to the correct height, then re-attached the templates to the parts and cut the rabbets (photo 8). In this pass the bearing rides on the outer lip of the sticking, so again the templates are just there for the safety handles. For small parts attach whatever templates or scrap pieces are necessary in order to make the cut with your hands away (photo 9).

Photo 10- Thin parts will rock against
the fence when the rabbets are cut out
as there is less material left for support.
Install a support block that contacts the
new surfaces after they are cut, and don't
pass your fingers over the cutter.

Cutting the rabbets into both sides of skinny straight parts, like the sun rays, is tricky because the parts can rock as they are cut. I solved this by attaching a support runner to the router table on the off-feed side (photo 10). This piece supports the part within the rabbet after it is cut. I always kept my fingers at least six inches from the cutter.

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