Special Offer!

2 FULL YEARS + FREE GIFT! Order NOW and get 2 FULL YEARS of Wood® Magazine! PLUS you'll get our Great Projects for Your Shop guide instantly! That's 2 full years (14 issues) for just $30. This is a limited-time offer, so HURRY! (U.S. orders only) (Click here for Canadian orders)


Email:
First Name:
Last Name:
Address:
City:
State:		Zip:

100% Money-Back Guarantee: You must be pleased, or you may cancel any time during the life of your subscription and receive a refund on any unserved issues – no questions asked. Wood® Magazine is currently published 7 times annually – subject to change without notice. Double issues may be published, which count as 2 issues. Applicable sales tax will be added. E-mail address required to access your account and member benefits online. We will not share your e-mail address with anyone. Click here to view our privacy policy.

Close [x]

Help

Avoid tear-out when routing

Share
Print
Comments (0)

2 of 8

General rules

Here are some general rules to help reduce the chances for tear-out:

Use a sharp bit. Dull bits chop at the wood rather than slice it cleanly.
Rout in 1/8"-deep increments to limit the amount of material being removed at one time.
Maintain a wide stance (feet at least shoulder-width apart) to avoid being caught off-balance.

Divide and conquer
Before putting the router to the wood, identify the tear-out-prone "danger zones" on your workpiece, as marked with chalk in photo. Routing these zones in a normal left-to-right (counterclockwise) direction increases your chances for tear-out. Instead, climb-cut the danger zones: right to left (clockwise) on outside edges, and left to right (counterclockwise) on interior edges.

Routing Techniques

2 of 8

Comments (0)