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Routing Use a 3/8 inch radius, ball bearing pilot, round over bit in your table-mounted router to round all the edges as indicated by the slash marks on the pattern. Don't forget the eye and nose holes, but not the handle hole, in the horse's head. Please use care with the routing. The two times I have hurt myself in twenty years involved a router. The side thrust generated by a round over bit cutting hardwood is substantial and varies with the shape of the part. Watch out!
Clamp a board on the router table making a fence to rout the straight pieces. I drill or cut a small notch just large enough for the router bit. (See sketch on pattern) Extending the fence very close to the cutting edge allows the fence to act as a chip-breaker; this gives a much smoother finish. After the straight pieces are routed, remove the fence and use the ball bearing pilot for the curved pieces. Feed the stock into the cutter at appropriate speeds according to the direction of the wood grain. Feed slowly when cutting against the grain, faster when cutting with the grain. The curved portion of the horse's legs seem to give me the most trouble. Be cautious!
by John Michael Linck Toymaker |
I had never handled a tool in my life, and yet in time, by labour, application, and contrivance, I found at last I wanted nothing but I could have made it. Robinson Crusoe - 1719 Daniel Defoe |
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