Sinking oak board into skirting board. Router

[Secret_Sipper]

I'm after some tips on how best to tackle this job. At some point in the near future I'm gonna either borrow or buy a router to rebate a channel for cables to run down and also to cut out for the sockets.

The project are oak boards to hold 2 bed side lamps on, being something that I should be able to hang on the wall to stop them from toppling over but the floor board take the actual weight as the photo suggests.

Although it won't be actually seen, I'd like to make them as neat as possible thus getting the profile as good to the skirting as possible. The easy method would be to cut the skirting and fill behind it, but the purpose is if we ever to decide to swap 180 degrees around the bedroom... We can without minimal impact redecorating.

Any help or tips would be great to get this started

 

[Secret_Sipper]

Apologies as my phone had a senior moment and decided to post the threat without finishing it!

Cheers

 

[Tigercubrider]

you only really need to get the edges perfect ( or good enough)

I'd be tempted to add two strips of oak behind the boards, not mated up to the edge, so that it gave a floating look.
Although you could add two strips level with the edge for a thicker look.

Using two strips allows cable room.

 

[Secret_Sipper]

Thanks for your input.

The though did cross my mind about adding some strips down the side to 'bulk it up" but on the edge but I went for the thicker stuff giving it the sunk in the wall look.
Kind of wished I had of now as it probably would have helped it stop bowing, that said I would have probably been harder attaching to the wall.

I can use a circular saw to 'notch' the skirting bull nose out and I guess it won't be seen. Just me going OTT!
Cheers

 

[Tigercubrider]

Something like a coping saw would allow you to profile the edge then be more aggressive with. The stuff that's invisible when fitted
If you don't have an offcut to trace, buy a cheap profile gauge to transfer the curve to the oak.
Then hand cut the edge at about 45° before removing the bulk of the wood at rear

 

[Secret_Sipper]

Yeah, I can see why you recommended a coping saw. I'll pick one up as I think that's going to be the best way to go with it!

The guy I was going to ask about borrowing his router has informed me that it wasn't his in the first place, so I'm on the look out for a router and some tips what's best to do it. As I've told folks before, I know what I want and how I'd do it if I was machining steel but I'm stumped with the woodworking side.

I want to slightly sink the sockets (both plug socket at the bottom and the light switch at the top) into the board on the front, cut all the way through to allow the socket to sit inside the wood and put a channel down the back of the board to allow cables to be hidden.

I'm a 'buy once' kinda guy but I can't help but think I'll probably never use the router again (maybe kitchen work tops and learn to rebate door hinges) do I go cheap as in Screwfix erbauer cheap with 1/2 collet or bite the bullet but get a better branded machine with smaller collet?

Thanks

 

[Gerrydelasel]

I've been using a cheap 1/4" Aldi router for ages for things like this, and it's fine. (I don't think it would be suitable for kitchen worktops though).

You can get the profile of the skirting using a piece of cardboard. Keep trimming until it's a perfect fit, then use it as a template for the oak.

If your sockets have rounded corners then you can drill these first with a suitable diameter drill. Use a stanley knife to score around the straight sides, then route out the bulk of the material. Finish the straight sides by hand with a chisel.

 

[Tigercubrider]

I am a big fan of aldi and lidl cheap tools for DIY

I have a hitachi router that cost a lot but I have only used occasionally
A cheapo would have been more sensible

 

[Secret_Sipper]

Cheers folks.
Going on screwfix the cheapo routers are a mixed bag of not square or not powerful enough unless you go for a much better brand (which is no problem)
Ironically aldi has just had a router on there deals which will no doubt only come round in 12 months again! Ha!

 

[Tigercubrider]

worth poping in as they often have stock left on a shelf.

 

[Chud]

OK - I would do one of two things:

Add a couple of oak strips to the back of the board top to bottom as already mentioned...or rout out the back.

If you go with the second option treat it as two routing jobs:
1)The bit in the middle (2cm in from each edge and high enough up the board to clear the skirting). This bit you put the board face down and sit the router on the back - it'll take a while as its quite a bit to remove but make sure you don't route too deep.
2)The edges - (after making a template & marking etc) with the board mounted on it's side - you can do this freehand and sneak up to the line but ideally I'd make a template out of mdf and either use a guide bushing or a flush trim router bit with a top bearing - make the template out of decent thickness mdf and make it wide enough so that when it's clamped to the work piece you have a good solid platform for the router base to register on.

As much as a pain as it is I would cut the oak and not the skirting - I would not want to have to re-do skirting etc. if i moved house or changed the layout of the room.

 

[Chud]

To work out the curve (or get you close) measure the depth of the skirting board - this should be your radius.

 

[Secret_Sipper]

Seems the last time they was onn special buy was mid September. I knew I'd seen them recently but too far gone. Stopped off at 5 Aldi's on the way home to no avail. My parents told me about the darn thing too and I half thought about getting one as I have a 3 year old grinderette which apart from needing new bushes hasn't missed a beat. I'll wait till they are available again cheers.

Thanks for the tips. Yes I have a small piece of skirting I didn't use which I can profile the radius from and it sounds like the template for the socket/light switch will take me a wee while to make up too before purchasing the router.

Thanks for the heads up

 

[Chud]

To be honest whilst it's not great the £36 Energer router from Screwfix would handle this job without too much hassle - you'd just have to take your time if you have to do anything that removes a lot of material.