Cutting chamfers on T & G boards

Cutting chamfers on T & G boards · 03-28-2006, 06:46 PM

I am going to do a bit of tongue and groove work on this tea house that I am making. I have a 1/4" slot cutting bit and the tongue will be done with a straight bit and fence. I would like to put a little chamfer where the joints come together. I know I could do it with a block plane, but I have quite a bit to do. I also would think that there is a special bit that will do it in one pass over the router table, but I would like to work with what I have. Chamfering the grooved side will be easy with a bearing chamfer bit, but I am stuck on how to do the tongue side. I would appreciate any advice, thanks in advance.
Dave

RandyJ · 03-28-2006, 08:34 PM

Dave, as you know I'm just a beginner, but how about this. After you cut the tongues, change to a chamfer bit in the router. Raise the bit just enough to reveal part of the cutting edge and run all your tongues through the router? Don't know if this would be too much work but thought I would throw it out.
Take care,
Randy

4yanks · 03-28-2006, 08:39 PM

DaveO,
How about using the tilt feature on your table saw. Tilt the blade to the desired angle and then experiment with the height of the blade and fence position until you get the results you're looking for. Hope this helps.

erasmussen · 03-28-2006, 08:52 PM

If I read this correctly, you are wanting a chamfer on the shoulder of the tongue to match the one on the groove, not on the end of the tongue.

I would say tablesaw, unless its on the end of long and heavy boards

DaveO · 03-28-2006, 09:26 PM

Randy, I will have to experiment with your suggestion, that is the way I'd like to do it but I think that the bearing on my chamfer bit will get in the way by hitting the tongue.
The tablesaw method has a lot of potential.
Earl,I want to put the chamfer on the face of the boards so when the tongue is inserted in the groove and both pieces are brought together a small "V" is formed at the joint line. That really helps to hide any imperfections in the joint and draws your eye away from any expansion and contraction issues.

Dave

D L Ames · 03-28-2006, 09:31 PM

Dave, not sure what the length of your stock is, or how wide of a chamfer you are wanting to create but how about this. Cut your T & G then assemble the boards and clamp them together, attach a straight edge then use a 90° V groove bit to cut both chamfers at the same time by running the router straight down the joint where the boards come together.

BTW.....the 90° V groove bit on the left is one of the bits WC has listed under their $5 bit sale.

I hope this helps.

D L

erasmussen · 03-28-2006, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by DaveO

Randy, I will have to experiment with your suggestion, that is the way I'd like to do it but I think that the bearing on my chamfer bit will get in the way by hitting the tongue.
The tablesaw method has a lot of potential.
Earl,I want to put the chamfer on the face of the boards so when the tongue is inserted in the groove and both pieces are brought together a small "V" is formed at the joint line. That really helps to hide any imperfections in the joint and draws your eye away from any expansion and contraction issues.

Dave

Of course

Phillip · 03-29-2006, 06:27 AM

daveo, how about grooves on both edges of the boards? then you could insert splines, either loose or glued to into one groove. i'm getting ready to do the same thing on a pair of vertical grain fir entry doors.

phillip

Big Mike · 03-29-2006, 06:35 AM

I think Phillip has the most elegant solution and in the end the easiest. If you don't want to do it that way then use a 90 degree V-groove bit on the router table and just expose enough of it to catch the corner on the board with the tongue.

As far as cutting the grooves, I would use the table saw with a 1/4" dado and set it as close to center as possible and then run the boards on edge with featherboards through it. I would first run it with one face through the blade, then I would flip it so the other face was against the fence and run it again guaranteeing that the groove is centered. Then it is just a matter of cutting some splines out of the same stock.

Travis Porter · 03-29-2006, 12:59 PM

I agree with the "enhancements" Mike suggests with the exception it might be easier with a chamfer bit if you have one than a v groove.

Steve D · 03-29-2006, 01:10 PM

Dave,

I just did this on the Shaker style cabinets I built and I did the chamfering on the tablesaw. It was quick and easy.

Charles M · 03-29-2006, 03:12 PM

Sounds like the perfect excuse for a new tool purchase

Otherwise I vote for the V-groove bit on the router table or the table saw blade set to bevel.

DavidF · 03-29-2006, 04:17 PM

Don't use a bearing guided bit. Use an unguided bit, with the tongue riding on the fence, move the fence back a little until the edge to be machined is appproximately over the bit; it isn't that important because the bit height can be adjusted to get the correct ampunt to take off.

DaveO · 03-29-2006, 06:22 PM

[quote=DavidF]Don't use a bearing guided bit. Use an unguided bit, quote]

David, do you think I could remove the bearing from my guided chamfer bit and use it?

Dave

erasmussen · 03-29-2006, 08:37 PM

The bearing should be held on with a small allen headed screw.
I have removed the bearings from some other bits.
Had to change one ona flush cutter that was gummed up with glue