Routing across the end grain of a small hardwood panel keeps leaving a chipped corner just as the bit exits. The cut looks clean until the last centimeter. The bit is sharp, and I'm not taking the full depth at once. I know a sacrificial block clamped to the exit edge is the standard advice, but that isn't always easy with the shape I'm working on. Do you take a light climb-cut pass at the corner first, or is there a safer sequence for preventing breakout?
Dealing with tear-out when routing across end grain
- woodworking
- tear
- routing
- across
17
3 replies
A climb-cut pass can help at the corner, but it’s not the first thing I’d reach for on a small panel. I’d rather score the edge lightly, the...
A climb-cut pass can help at the corner, but it’s not the first thing I’d reach for on a small panel. I’d rather score the edge lightly, then make the main pass in the safer direction so the bit isn’t pulling fibers out at the exit.
The exit support matters more than people think. If you can’t clamp a full sacrificial block, even a temporary backer held by double-sided tape or a stop fence can cut down the breakout.
I’ve had better luck with two shallow passes than one full-depth pass, especially in hardwood. The last bit of tear-out often comes from try...