Cutting scallops into bargeboard - jigsaw or router?

[Hallsy]

I'm at the stage of fitting the bargeboard to my summer house/shed, and would like to scallop the edge.

The boards are 32 x 175 PAR, and I'll have around 10m to do.

Intially, I thought I would make a partial template, and use a router & flush cutter to repeat the pattern along the board.

I have a router (borrowed), I have used them before, but not exactly well practiced. If I rough the boards out with a jigsaw, can I then take a full cut with a flush cutter? If so, what is the smallest diameter I could use?

Trouble is, if I use say a 25mm cutter, then I won't be able to form a tight valley between the crests.

If this is the case, would I be just as well using a jigsaw for the whole job? I know they can wander a bit in thicker, but probably ok I'm 32mm planed?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Your router would need to be a powerful 1/2in model (forget anything under 1500 watts) and even then as you say you'lll need to rough out the gingerbread scallops with a jigsaw first to within 3 or 4mm of the finish line unless you want to cook your router/cutter. I'd suggest that for a biggish job like this you need to use something like a 19/20mm diameter (x 50mm high) template trim bit - the smallest diameter cutter you'll get for that depth of cut is probably 12.7mm (1/2in) but smaller diameter cutters tend to bog down, dig in or overheat on long lengths of 32mm thick stuff. Personally I'd just go for a decent jigsaw with some Bosch T244D blades and then just sand in. I use the T244D blades for scribing mouldings, etc. They are a not a fine tooth blade and have quite a bit of side set, but they cut quickly and cleanly and are purpose-made for doing curved work in medium thickness timber. Bear in mind that you might well need two or three blades to do 10 metres. The amount of wander you get is down to how good or bad your jigsaw is and how fresh the blade is. Blades which have cut half a dozen tight radii are generally toast and they will run off. Turn the orbit down to 1 or completely off and procede slowly for best results

 

[Hallsy]

Job&Knock - thanks for the thorough reply!

I missed this last night, but I had a trial with the jigsaw and was happy with the results, so went with that.

Must admit, when buying some new blades I missed that the D blades were suitable for curves....I disregarded the coarser blades as I wasn't sure on finish.
Bosch do the T101AO for tight curves, but max cut is around 25mm iirc.
I got some T101B blades, they give a good finish and coped with the curves ok, minimal run off. I'll try some T244D's in the future though.

Did half of them last night, so will finish off this morning