Router Bits

[Commander Data]

I hope this question will be tolerated in this section of the forum,
I was wondering if a Rabbeting Bit can only be used to make a sort of ledge or if they can make channels. For example, the picture is see here http://www.routerbits.com/cgi-routerbits/sr.cgi?1269402941_10334+25 Shows the top of the board being cut. Could i cut the MIDDLE of the board? Sort of like a horizontal result of a Straight router bit.

Thank you in advance.

[docarrol]

Rabbiting bits have a wheel thing at the top, which rests against the edge of the board you're routing and guides the bit. If you want to cut a straight notch, what you want is a dado bit, or something similar, and a straight edge, jig, or guide to clamp to your work piece to keep the cut straight, since the bit won't guide itself, like the rabbit would.
http://www.routerbits.com/cgi-routerbits/sr.cgi?1269402941_10334+13

docarrol

[Commander Data]

See, the problem is that i need to cut a groove into an already made box. The box does have an opening in the top. The grooves are needed to make room for screws.

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8070/img1401e.jpg
http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/6932/img1404hu.jpg

[oldskoolpunk]

Why not just use an end-mill type router bit and go in vertically?

[Otto Von Pifka]

a rabbiting bit in theory could work, my only concern is the distance down you need to reach to make the slot. not much of the shank would be in the collet and you could walk the bit out and send it flying.

it really depends on just how low the collet rides in comparison to the base plate of your router. some routers have a plastic shoe on the bottom and with it removed you get to go about 1/8 lower. a plunger type of router could be set even lower then usual.

I'm a little leary of mentioning this, but I have made temporary cutters for mistakes like this. they're very unsafe and should be used with great care.

I started with a very long 1/4-20 cap screw. the longer ones have a good deal of the shank without threads. you want that shank to feed into the router collet. I saw off the cap head ( you may find the metal too hard for a hack saw, you need to use a cut-off wheel then) I use two shoulder style nuts to trap the cutter on the bolt. the first nut is run down the hreads until it seats onto the unthreaded shank.
for cutters I have used thick washers with the proper size inside hole. the outside I notch with a dremel cut-off wheel and relieve the outside to form sawteeth. stack as many washers as you need to get the width needed. cap it with another shoulder nut. cut off any extra threaded bolt stick out the second nut.
slide the shank into the router collet. if its too long, shorten the shank only what you need to. you want as much as possible inside the collet for safety. make sure the teeth are pointing the right way! the shoulder nuts will limit the depth it can cut like the pilot bearing does, but won't protect the finish and very likely will mar it. shouldn't be a problem for your box.  a variable speed would be the safest way to use it, but not an absolute must have. torque from starting a router won't loosen the nut on the bottom but can force the top nut up tighter, thereby loosening the whole setup! be very careful!

make sure that box is bolted down or clamped soundly, you may need alot of pressure to make your home made cutter work. if needed, just use a washer or two and reset the depth to make multiple passes instead of one big honkin pass. if you got good steel washers and the wood is fairly forgiving, they may last long enough to make your grooves.

I will repeat, this is pretty dangerous to do. try to use a high quality bolt and nuts and steel washers. good luck to you.

[loydb]

Get a cheap scraper and go to work with a grinding bit, and make a profile like the below. Wrap teflon tape or something around the blue bit (to keep it from eating away the edge of the board), and slightly sharpen the edge of the red bit. You'll be able to scrape your own rabbet pretty surprisingly fast.



You could also try multiple passes with a slot-cutting (t-profile) router bit with a guide bearing on it. I'd probably do the scraper unless I had a bunch to do, way less of a chance of an 'oops'.

edit: Actually, if you have a router table and fence, you could mount the slot-cutter in the table, set up some stops, and rout it safely. Advance the piece carefully against the rotation of the bit, and you should be fine. If you don't have a router table, I'd go with the scraper over hand-held.

[Commander Data]

Why not just use an end-mill type router bit and go in vertically?

the only way i see that working is with a table, and i dont have a router table.

I was thinking of the slot cutting bit. I think im going to try the rabbeting bit and post the results here.

[Lord Jeffreys]

Another way, if you enjoy working with hand tools, would be to scribe the edges of the groove with a sharp knife to define it and use a chisel, either alone or in conjunction with a dove tail saw. With a good sharp chisel (and a bit of practice) you could cut a near perfect groove in about 10 to 20 min (better to take your time and go carefully.

Or get one of these:
http://www.woodcraft.com/Family/2008236/CMT-Slot-Cutters-with-Arbor-and-Bearing.aspx

[Commander Data]

Another way, if you enjoy working with hand tools, would be to scribe the edges of the groove with a sharp knife to define it and use a chisel, either alone or in conjunction with a dove tail saw. With a good sharp chisel (and a bit of practice) you could cut a near perfect groove in about 10 to 20 min (better to take your time and go carefully.

Well.
Being that Home Depot is terrible, the next place is Rockler Hardware and i dont feel like driving there. Nor do i have the time. and i shouldn't be spending money as it is .
I think im going to go with your suggestion and use a chisel.