My router lift in my table is made of aluminum, as many (most?) are. When I changed bits without realizing it I rotated the steel wrench against the edge of the flat plate where the large round plate screws in. It created a tiny burr that wasn't visible. When I ran my round table top over the router table, the burr created a slight but visible indentation in the table top, resulting in a whole bunch of wavy lines that looked like I neglected to sand the surface at all. Really looked like sloppy work, and that's not me. Luckily I ran the piece top up, so the scratches were on the bottom side. This meant I didn't have to resand perfectly the whole top. Lesson learned: be careful when you change bits or collets.
While I'm at it I'm having major problems with severe tearout when I run curved table legs (think curves like a French curve drafting template) and transition from running with the grain into end grain. I've tried free handing close to the template and then making a 2nd pass on the roller bearing. It helped but didn't cure. Can I run my working piece backwards into the bit so the blades are pushing the end grain of the wood back into itself? Thanks.
While I'm at it I'm having major problems with severe tearout when I run curved table legs (think curves like a French curve drafting template) and transition from running with the grain into end grain. I've tried free handing close to the template and then making a 2nd pass on the roller bearing. It helped but didn't cure. Can I run my working piece backwards into the bit so the blades are pushing the end grain of the wood back into itself? Thanks.