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Routing question that there has to be a solution for

2K views 20 replies 13 participants last post by  waho6o9 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Rectangle Wood Beige Flooring Floor


Hi all, need help here! So I am making a conference room table, and I've never made a table top this large. It'll be made out of walnut and as part of it, I'd like to have a maple "inlay" in the middle as in the pic.

I was planning on using a router to route out the area for the inlay, but I don't think it will work upon further review as the router is only about 6 inches wide, and won't be supported on the sides after a point.

Any advice on how to do this?? Thanks so much for any advice or guidance!!

Jeff
 

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#2 · (Edited by Moderator)
I have never tried this but you may want to look at making a larger, temporary base for the router that will give you more of a footprint to stay on the original surface. Won't have to be too thick so long as it will still allow you to extend the bit deep enough for your design recess.

Lexan or plexiglass should be sturdy enough while still allowing you to see through.

Or maybe you could resaw the walnut where the insert will be down to the thickness you need before assembly?
 
#3 ·
You can do it without getting too fancy, just make a block to fit into the void and slide it down as you go along, work from one side to the other. One half the router supported by the material u have yet to clear and the other half supported by the block you make to fit in. when I have done this in the past i use a jig to cut out the border and clear the waste free hand with the router, square corners up with chisel. Make sure u keep it inlay thin, otherwise u might have issues with movement.
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
as a sign maker, I often routed large letters and graphics.
making oversized base plates out of plexiglass or any solid material
is pretty simple. a nice big plastic base plate is always nice to have on hand.
and as noted above, clean up the corners with chisels, carving knives, etc.
or - find a true straight 1×6 and clamp each end to the table. then you can use a
top bearing pattern bit. slowly working down to the desired depth to make the profile.
then clean it out with the oversized base plate router.
https://www.lumberjocks.com/JHSmith/blog/129964

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#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
Many ways to do it. My 2 cents worth…

Kinda like Snowbeast above. Use a piece of plywood or MDF large enough to support the router and use it to make a template of the area you need to cut out. You would use strips of wood to make the template then remove them and use copious amounts of double sided tape (and/or clamps if possible) to position said template on your table top then follow that with a pattern bit. Just make sure it is sturdy and well stuck to the table.

Or, depending on the size of the inlay, Just like this.

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I'd probably use an 1/4 or even 1/8" bit for the edges just to keep the corners sharp.
 

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#8 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am making a conference room table

Jeff
Jeff - have you started the assembly yet ??
if not, this is the piece that I would do FIRST - not after the glue up.

a few questions: how big will the table be?
are you actually going to glue up all those individual pieces of wood as in the sketch?
is this your design or the customer ?
personally, I am not a fan of lining up all the joints as in the drawing.
I would opt for a random pattern like in a wood floor.
it appears that the "inlay" is the same size as three boards.
if this is the case, you could make the maple board an "insert" the same thickness
as the walnut boards and there will not be any routing at all. (just a thought).

Wood Rectangle Textile Sleeve Beige


and what is the center square for ? I am assuming a hole for computer cords ?
Rectangle Wood Asphalt Road surface Flooring


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#9 ·
So, I am making a conference room table

Jeff

Jeff - have you started the assembly yet ??
if not, this is the piece that I would do FIRST - not after the glue up.
practice with the suggestions above that you feel the most comfortable with.
practice with construction pine with similar texture and grain to get the hang of it.
complete the board that will have the inlay first to your satisfaction before moving
on to the rest of the project.
all the best !!

a few questions: how big will the table be?
are you actually going to glue up all those individual pieces of wood as in the sketch?
is this your design or the customer ?
personally, I am not a fan of lining up all the joints as in the drawing.
I would opt for a random pattern like in a wood floor.
it appears that the "inlay" is the same size as three boards.
if this is the case, you could make the maple board an "insert" the same thickness
as the walnut boards and there will not be any routing at all. (just a thought).

!https://storage.googleapis.com/aws-s3-lumberjocks-com/pwjcb5k.jpg
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- John Smith
John beat me to it. His is the simplest solution.
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
+1 on what John & said. My first thought was mill it with the walnut and make it part of the glue up.

I would glue up either side of the maple first, then assemble the center section, then joint and glue the whole panel up.

You'll have to reinforce the end grain glue up. Many ways to do this: spline, tongue and groove, biscuits, dowels, Dominoes, floating tenons.

Of course this assumes you have a full thickness piece of maple.

If you do have to route it, just start in the middle. A larger custom router plate will help alot.
 
#12 ·
I am making a conference room table

Jeff

Jeff - have you started the assembly yet ??
if not, this is the piece that I would do FIRST - not after the glue up.

a few questions: how big will the table be?
are you actually going to glue up all those individual pieces of wood as in the sketch?
is this your design or the customer ?
personally, I am not a fan of lining up all the joints as in the drawing.
I would opt for a random pattern like in a wood floor.
it appears that the "inlay" is the same size as three boards.
if this is the case, you could make the maple board an "insert" the same thickness
as the walnut boards and there will not be any routing at all. (just a thought).

Wood Rectangle Textile Sleeve Beige


and what is the center square for ? I am assuming a hole for computer cords ?
Rectangle Wood Asphalt Road surface Flooring


.

- John Smith
Thanks for all the input! For my real job, we just moved offices and I volunteered to make a conference room table along with a few other pieces.

The table top is 12' by 5'. Nothing is glued up yet but I've shaped all the walnut pieces. It is my design. I did the shorter pieces because I have a smaller jointer and planer and it makes bigger pieces a little tough to get squared up, and yes, am planning on gluing it all up.

Part of the reason I'm trying to do it as an inlay is that I'm finishing the pieces separately, using Walnut Danish Oil on the walnut and clear Danish Oil on the maple. Yes the center is going to be a cutout for computer cords.
 

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#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
What if I left a thin strip, like a centimeter or two, in between sections of routed areas and then hand chiseled that out…that may work…

- Patterson
That'll work. Even just 5 or 6 mm should be enough. If you have a small router plane, you can swing the blade around to the bullnose side and work it perfectly flush very easily. Otherwise, careful paring with the chisel will be fine.
 
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