Tips for routing cedar end grain?

[marvintpa]

I'm attempting to route a 1/2" roundover on the end-grain of a cedar table top and the tear-out has been staggering. The bit is quite newish, still sharp and I don't believe it's the issue. Would the tear out be indicative of needing to use higher or lower speed? I've experimented with both with no noticeable changes.

Any suggestions?

[jlhaslip]

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[mreza]

I'm attempting to route a 1/2" roundover on the end-grain of a cedar table top and the tear-out has been staggering. The bit is quite newish, still sharp and I don't believe it's the issue. Would the tear out be indicative of needing to use higher or lower speed? I've experimented with both with no noticeable changes.

Any suggestions?

That's an awfully bad wood and grain combination to route.
You might minimize the tear out by first cutting a small bevel on the table saw to cut those sharp corners (be sure your bevel is small enough to be subsumed entirely by the round over bit). Taking multiple lighter passes should help too.

[Douglas Fur]

...
You might minimize the tear out by first cutting a small bevel on the table saw...

Now would that be done on a Left or Right tilt saw...?

[marvintpa]

Loving that bevel idea, I'll give that a try.
MANY thanks!!!

[Don Burch]

In addition to climb cutting, would the job benefit from dampening the edge with water?

I have never routed cedar, but it can be very brittle.

Don

[redlee]

This may sound strange but if you soak cedar in water then freeze it then rout it, it works. Easier in the winter.

[rob_clements]

This may sound strange but if you soak cedar in water then freeze it then rout it, it works. Easier in the winter.

complete genius. crazy to think of it the first time, but resulting in pure genius

[stevem]

when i built my white cedar deck last year, i radiused all the ends and edges of the deck boards, 400 sqft of 5/4 by 4 by 6 ft boards

tearout was a problem at first and i wasnt going do every board twice resetting the router every time, so i set up two routers with the same type of bit. one was set with a rough pass to remove maybe 2/3 of the material, and the second router a fine finish cut. cut the ends first then the edges

the cedar that was wet from rain did cut better but not much, two passes did it nicely

for a furniture grade cut, id do three passes or more on any wood but particularly a soft wood like cedar

i used a pair of laminate trimmers for routers, the bit speed is 23000 rpm, faster than most routers and a pair of new freud bits

[mbowler]

I rounded over a lot of cedar on a big project some years ago. What worked for me was using a climb cut on the end grain, using a roundover bit with a shear cut.

Michael

[Leo Van Der Loo]

When there are problems with end-grain tearout, when turning wood, the solution other than sharp tools and tool presentation, is to fill the endgrain so it will be cut and not fold over or torn out, shellac and thinned lacker, glue that soaks in etc., will help,.............. it's just an other way to approach the problem.