Hey everyone! I'm relatively new to woodworking and I'm trying to round over the edge of a circular piece of red oak. It's 10 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch thick. I'm thinking of using a radius between 1/4 inch and 1/8 inch for the round over. I plan to use a router with a round over bit, but I'm worried about tear out since the grain will be running in different directions. Does anyone have tips on how to avoid that and achieve a clean rounded edge all around?
4 Answers
Or, you could opt for a rasp and do it by hand! It’s a bit more manual work, but it can be pretty satisfying and you might find it quicker than expected.
A quick tip: you could add a couple layers of tape along the edge the router bearing will run along. By removing the tape for your final pass, you’ll take less material off, which minimizes the risk of catching or tearing out the wood.
For a bullnose profile with your 3/4” stock, I’d suggest using a 3/8” round over bit on both sides if you change your mind about rounding both edges. But if you’re sticking with one side rounded, that's fine! Just make sure to keep it consistent.
Using a sharp router bit should help minimize tear out, especially with such a small radius. You might want to start with a first pass at about half to three-quarters of the depth. If that looks good, you can then drop the bit to your final depth and clean up any remaining areas. A little bit of sanding at the end can fix any minor issues too!
This is the way.
Good idea, thank you!
I only want one side rounded; the other side will stay flat.