grr-ripper and free hand routing question

[zapdafish]

Has anyone done much free hand routing like the pic on the left? I have wanted to do some but I have been kind of scared to give it a go. Most pics of router plates I've seen have a hard point on the plate that you first butt the work up against before you bring the work into the spinning bit. I am missing that screw in thing for my plate and haven't gotten around to finding a replacement for it yet but based on this pic it doesnt seem like it's really needed?

 

[KenOfCary]

I'd be leery of doing that without the pivot pin, but that's just me. You don't need any fancy brass pin for your router plate just find the right sized thread and buy a 1 inch or so bolt to screw into the hole. Just something to steady the work until the bit is fully engaged.

- Ken.

 

[merrill77]

Note that the picture shows a bearing-guided router bit.

I've done that on several occasions for small round-overs (up to 1/4") on irregularly shaped pieces. I don't have pivot pin - engagement without the bin is a bit more delicate, but possible. I use the push pads from my jointer, similar to those pictured below. The keys are taking very light passes and practice on scraps. Working end grain ups the difficulty level another notch...particularly on narrow pieces.

 

[mdawson2]

During my days doing custom car stereos we never used a starter pin on our router table setups. We didn't have fences either and always used router bits with bearings on them. We always used MDF as well. As Chris said above practice on some larger scraps to get the feel for what is going on before using your actual work piece.

 

[manfre]

You can clamp a piece of wood so either a rounded edge or corner is about where the starter pin would be located.

 

[Mike Camp]

I've done it many times with my Gripper using a bit with a bearing on it. No issues at all just take it easy and practice with some scrap wood first. The deflector connector attachment is nice to prevent chips from flying up in your face and to keep your hand away from the bit.

 

[zapdafish]

thanks for the info

and this is my 1000th post, woo hoo

 

[Joe Scharle]

Steve, my advice is to mount a top bearing pattern bit. With the power off, practice bringing a block of wood to the bearing at an angle and meeting the bearing smoothly. ALWAYS be moving the work to your left when meeting the bearing. I keep saying 'meet the bearing' because that's what your eye will be keying on. If you just push the work straight into the bit, you'll provide some entertainment for any onlookers! I suggest you don't actually try cutting until you feel comfortable pushing your test piece around the spinning pattern bit. BTW, with the bit spinning you shouldn't be cutting anything with the bearing against the test piece, but it should give you a feel for what it's like.

Use a rubber bottom push block and remember; it's not hard to do. Have fun.....Congratulations on your 1,000!