Podcast #30: 3 Basic Router Bits/17 Moldings

Phil Huber proves you don’t need a drawer full of router bits to make a huge variety of moldings. In fact, during this week’s seminar he talks about how he used just three bits, 1/4″ and 1/2″ round-over bits and a 1/4″ core box bit, to make 17 different moldings.To make some of the profiles shown above, he used different parts of the bit or changed the depth or height of the cut. Of course, to make the more complex profiles, he used more than one bit.

With only a limited amount of time to rout the profiles, Phil wasn’t able to demonstrate all of the molding cuts, but the guide details how to rout all seventeen. You can find the guide, plus the bits he used during the seminar, for sale at the Woodsmith Podcast Store.

 
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4 Responses to “Podcast #30: 3 Basic Router Bits/17 Moldings”

John K Jordan said,

Editor,

I must comment on a serious safety issue. Early in podcast #7 on turning a bowl, Brian Simmons teaches a horribly dangerous bandsaw technique when he crosscuts a round log section. Cutting unsupported wood with a bandsaw is a disaster waiting to happen and can result in a bent blade, damaged bandsaw, and severed fingers.

Several members of the Woodcentral woodworking/turning forum viewed this video and all agreed with the hazard. We think it is not only unprofessional but irresponsible to teach this technique to beginners. One person noted that the editor repeatedly says Brian is an expert, the info presented is “the best woodworking information on the web”, and it is “the kind of information found in Woodsmith.”

Some think you are setting yourself up for a lawsuit. At minimum, your credibility is damaged by supporting an obviously “self-taught amateur”, in the words of another reader. The rest of the video also has bad information – I quit watching when he erroneously demonstrated “shear scraping”.

Feel free to follow or respond to the thread on WoodCentral:
http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/turning3.pl?frames;read=198347#198347

Many of the best woodturners in the country read and post there.

The sharpening video was better, although still loaded with puzzling information and frankly, off-base sharpening practices. I did not watch the one on pen turning. If you plan future turning instructional videos, I suggest you seek some peer review.

JKJ

Brian SImmons said,

John -

Thank you for pointing out that the method I demonstrated in this podcast for band sawing the log was unsafe. I agree and in hindsight should not have used this method. I typically use a crosscut sled with a fence for this operation. However the fixture I use in my home shop would not fit the band saw available at the Woodsmith Store seminar room. It’s no excuse, but time was a factor when preparing for the seminar, and rather than make a new jig I chose to perform this operation free-hand. Like everyone, I’m only human, but I made an error in judgment and I regret it.

There is one problem I have with your comments though. No one should assume they have an understanding or knowledge of my turning experience or education. For what it’s worth, I’ve studied with numerous internationally-renowned turners and I’ve taught at many local, regional, and national events, as well as symposiums and schools for many years. I’m currently a consultant for WOOD Magazine. I don’t claim to be perfect or an expert, and appreciate it if you didn’t expect me to be. The fact of the matter is, the “expert” label mentioned in the post was not mine, but instead should be attributed to the editors of this blog.

Brian Simmons

Mark said,

Dear Brian
I am not criticising your turning experience but Having watched the video,I think that it would have been better of cutting that section out than showing unsafe practices that the uninitiated could get them selves into trouble doing.
what ever the circumstances, because the rule of thumb in demonstrating “what ever safety first”, particularly since this is now on the net for ever.
and your response of”I’m currently a consultant for WOOD Magazine”If you are trying to impress with that as your credentials then you just failed and bring into doubt the credentials of the magazine you are espousing to represent.
Just accept the rebuke

Steve said,

After just reading the responses with regards to the safety of cutting a log in the manner demonstrated, it is made clear at the end of every podcast that guards etc may have been removed for clarity and that machines should not be used with out there guards wherever possible after only recently discovering these podcasts, and being new to wood working I can appreciate what everyone is saying, HOWEVER commonsense can never replace any health and safety issues every person knows their limitations whether they are newbies or “experts” if a person is not comfortable using these methods they will research until they find a method that suits them.
These podcasts are free and I have learned a lot from them and for people to nitpick and use them as an excuse to advertise their sites is wrong, if you feel that strongly about it just maybe you should approach woodworking online and ask the if you could have a link to your sites and work with them and not criticize them after all you watched the podcast and all you picked up on was the way the log was cut, for once just think of the people that can not get to these seminars or pay for a course on wood turning, I live in the UK could you imagine how much it would cost for me to go to just one seminar. Stop winging and start working with them to promote the enjoyment of working with wood, after all cabinet making is a dying art thanks to machines. Make the world safer and better for everyone not just a select few. Just as a foot note I have past some of the tips I have picked up to my collage tutor who has 35 years of cabinet making and English heritage restoration to his name and he is extremely impressed, I my self have dabbled in wood working all my life, I am 47 years old and I am now training to be come a cabinet maker (NVQ level 1,2 and three) and I for one am glad of these podcasts keep up the good work and just remember there are people out there that look forward to these podcasts and learn a lot from the.
Many thanks to everyone involved in the production

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