using a cove bit

farley · Post by **farley** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 2:12 pm

I have to use a cove bit to carve out a half round circle down the center of a board.

the bit I have has a SS roller for the edge of a board.

Do I take the roller bearing off? It still has a little head on it, even with the bearing off.
or should I be making a little slot down the center where the head of the bearing will go?

Making a native american flute

TIA

mbcabinetmaker · Post by **mbcabinetmaker** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 2:22 pm

Farley you need a different bit for the cut down the center of a board. It is called a round nose bit instead of a cove bit.

You will need some type of guide if you make the cut with a hand held router. It is best made on the router table against the fence.

http://www.freudtools.com/p-180-round-nose-bits.aspx

farley · Post by **farley** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 2:43 pm

thanks mb

that is just what I need.

farley · Post by **farley** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 4:12 pm

went looking at big box so i could go to work, no luck.

will buy on line or at woodcraft.

Can I do a plunge cut with those bits, using a router table.

reible · Post by **reible** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 4:22 pm

Yes. Would love to see what the project looks like.

Ed

farley wrote:went looking at big box so i could go to work, no luck.

will buy on line or at woodcraft.

Can I do a plunge cut with those bits, using a router table.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 4:26 pm

reible wrote:Yes. Would love to see what the project looks like.

Ed

Wonder where the American Indians got there 'flute' bits?:D

reible · Post by **reible** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 6:17 pm

After an afternoon nap I began thinking of what I had posted and then I to thinking that maybe I should repost and add a few other things that came to mind.

First the bit you mentioned was a cove bit.

The next closes bit I know about is called a round nose and that has been mentioned. I'd like to add these bits come with and without a top bearing. If you were interested in pattern cutting the top bearing might be what you are looking for.

The other bit that comes to mind is a plunge ball bit.

[ATTACH]15813[/ATTACH]

This bit will do the a plunge to half depth or you can put more of the "ball" below the surface, of course you can only so far without having to do a first pass with a 1/4" straight bit and you will always have the slot along the top where the shaft passes.

I was thinking that perhaps a "D" shaped hole could be made even more round in one piece of wood and not require the two have holes... of course I'm guess at how this is being done.

Ed

eagleta2 · Post by **eagleta2** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 8:56 pm

If it were me and i wanted to get moving on a project....I would take a board that's wider than what you want the finished piece to be. Rote your cove using the bit you have on the edges of the same board till you get the perfect "half" profile on each edge. Then rip the board down the middle and glue the coved edges together...

Wouldnt that give you the results you wanted without having to go buy a bit you might not use a lot in the future?

Whatccan i say...I'm cheap!

Geo

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 9:21 pm

eagleta2 wrote:If it were me and i wanted to get moving on a project....I would take a board that's wider than what you want the finished piece to be. Rote your cove using the bit you have on the edges of the same board till you get the perfect "half" profile on each edge. Then rip the board down the middle and glue the coved edges together...

Wouldnt that give you the results you wanted without having to go buy a bit you might not use a lot in the future?

Whatccan i say...I'm cheap!

Geo

If yer gonna take the 'cost effective' route, carve it out with a gouge!;)

fiatben · Post by **fiatben** » Mon Jan 16, 2012 10:30 pm

[quote="JPG40504"]If yer gonna take the 'cost effective' route, carve it out with a gouge!]

Red, you crack me up!!

On a more serious note (or maybe not, but this is what popped into my head) couldn't you do that cove thing on the table saw? You know, the thing where you run it over the blade at an angle? (I could go look it up in the book, but I'm just too lazy right now.)

Shopsmith Forums

using a cove bit

using a cove bit

Good grief!