another router question - oak worktops will 1/4 inch do?

[mickthetree]

Hi All

I'm nearly done on fitting my oak worktops, just need to route the bolt holes.

I only have one set of holes to route and have been offered the use of my father in laws 1/4 inch dewalt router to use with the jig I bought.

The tops are solid oak 4omm thick.

I will need to by a 30mm guide bush for it and a straight bit, but if its just for the one job and I take lots of passes will it be upto the job? I~ dont want to break it.

If not I'll have to pick up the erbauer £70 router from screwfix as I'm sure that will do the job.

Hire shops only seem to do 1/4inch ones

your help greatly appreciated.

 

[Deluks]

You can route oak with a decent 1/4 incher, but as you say, very shallow passes and a good quality NEW sharp bit.

 

[mickthetree]

great stuff.

The router bit suggested was a 1/2" 12.7mm x 63mm straight bit using a 30mm guide bush.

Will I be able to get the same size cut using 1/4" bits?

are erbauer bits from screwfix good enough? maybe I should get a few?

 

[big-all]

1/4 inch x2 1/2" cutters are very very difficult to find i have only seen them once you will need to use twice as many cutters for the same number of cuts

 

[Jasonb]

You won't need such a long cutter as you are not doing joints. The cutter needs to protrude from the bottom of the router by the depth of the bolt hole (about 15mm) plus the thickness of the jig (about 12mm) tTherefore you may get away with a 12.7x25 but a 12.7x30 would be a safer bet as I don't know how far the 1//4 DW will plunge.

Jason

 

[mickthetree]

I'm picking up the router tonight so I'll measure up everything and work out what I need.

Bit alarmed that I'll need 2 cuts for every bolt hole!! There are 3 bolts so thats 6 holes (3 on each side) so you say I'll need 12 cutters???

eeek!

 

[big-all]

I'm picking up the router tonight so I'll measure up everything and work out what I need.

Bit alarmed that I'll need 2 cuts for every bolt hole!! There are 3 bolts so thats 6 holes (3 on each side) so you say I'll need 12 cutters???

eeek!

sorry no thats was only general information for cutting mitres or indeed bolt holes with 1/4 over 1/2" as you need to do twice as many passes.
you shouldnt need more than 2 cutters

the usual is to use the cutters that have lost there edge after doing perhaps 1 or 2 mitres to do the bolt holes as the finnish isnt so important

where are you getting the 1/4 cutters from!!!

 

[Jasonb]

I'd say 1 cutter will do a set of bolt holes in solid wood as it is far less abrasive than the chipboard core used for laminate tops.

Jason

 

[mickthetree]

hi all
Great, 1 cutter sounds like more my budget! I might get 2 just incase. the 30mm bush guide and cutters I was going to pickup from screwfix.
The worktop jig is 15mm thick, that added to the 20mm depth is 3.5mm.
I'm guessing the bit doesn't extend below the base of the router plate? if so the longest 1/4" cutter is 31.5mm.

Had a thought last night, If I mark the areas to be routed out with the guide, I could use a drill and bit with a depth stop to take out most of the waste and clean it up with my chisels.

Cant see that there would be any difference in accuracy as even with the jig the channels for the bolts are slightly wider than the bolts themselves.

 

[big-all]

you can do them without a router

somthing like a 35mm fostner bit and an 8mm hole drilled in the edge

so all you do is pass the threaded rod through the hole as you are offering the edges together then put the bracket and nut on as the rod appears into the large hole

you would have to check the exact size holes required and it also wont work unless you have several more inches spare to allow you to insert the bolts in situ