How can I make this flooring reducer?

[RandyJ]

OK all you woodworking gurus...HELP!

I have a 1x3 piece of oak 6ft. long that will be trimmed to about 2 1/4" wide. I need to make a reducer similar to this one:

Even as WW challenged as I am, I can cut the groove.:saw: What I need to know is how to easily create the large radius on the top of the piece. :dontknow:

I'm not a neander so no planes. Is there a router bit large enough? Would you cut it in stages on the table saw and then sand? Belt sander? Remember, its 6ft. long.:icon_scra

Any thoughts?

Thanks for your assistance,

 

[Canuck]

Hi Andy.

About a year ago I purchased a table edge router bit similar to the Thumbnail bit at MLCS ....http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/bit_table_edge.html

The bits are also sold at your local Woodcraft. You may want to check it out to see if the radius would be flat enough for your application.

(This is assuming that you will be routing this profile on a router table and not with a handheld router. The bit is large in diameter, Mine swings about 2" in diameter.)

The other option is to rip a bevel at the angle you want (shallow) and knock of the corners with a roundover bit or a ROS.)

Wayne

 

[RandyJ]

That looks like it would be pretty close, Wayne. I would definitely use the router table. I'm too chicken to spin a monster like that free-hand:swoon:

Thanks for the linky.:icon_thum

 

[James Davis]

Pardon the rough drawing, but this is what I did for several jobs where I had to make reducers.

James

 

[Trent Mason]

Pardon the rough drawing, but this is what I did for several jobs where I had to make reducers.

James

+1, because that is the only option I have right now. :thumbs_up

 

[Matt Schnurbusch]

Pardon the rough drawing, but this is what I did for several jobs where I had to make reducers.

James

I suppose short of buying a router bit, that is how I would make it as well.

 

[Jon]

I would do 2 -3 cuts on the tablesaw and sand that

 

[RandyJ]

Thanks for the tips, Matt, James, Trent and Jon:icon_thum. I think I will make a couple cuts on the tablesaw and then use the ROS to round it off.

Buying the router bit (thanks Wayne) would work as well, but using the tablesaw doesn't require any capital expenditures!:eusa_clap

This site ROCKS!:banana:

 

[Mike Davis]

I have done things like that with a spoke shave.

 

[CarvedTones]

You might want to make a form that is the reverse of it to use as a sanding block and to check your progress. I think you could cove cut on the TS and then flip it over and rip one side off.

 

[RandyJ]

Thanks Mike, but in my original post I noted I'm not a neander :gar-Bi. Don't have any spokeshaves lying around...

Thanks for the tip Andy, that's a good idea. It would be helpful to make a sanding form/guide:icon_thum.

 

[Mike Davis]

Oh, but you said no planes. EVERYBODY has an old spoke shave laying around. :rotflm:

Using just the table saw you can make a series of cuts adjusting the angle, depth and fence each cut to make a very close copy of that profile. I would do the least amount of sanding as possible.

Uh, probably don't have a card scraper either? :dontknow:

 

[CarvedTones]

I would probably take a hybrid approach, knocking off a lot of the corner with one pass on the table saw with the board face down or up and then planing/shaving/sanding. The idea of running a 1x3 through on edge cutting away most of the edge it is standing on gives me the willies. The risk of finger displacement or javelin launch seems a bit higher than I like in that arrangement...

 

[RandyJ]

I would do the least amount of sanding as possible.

Uh, probably don't have a card scraper either? :dontknow:

Amen on the least amount of sanding and NO I don't have a card scraper either. :eusa_doh:

You must think I know what I'm doing. :gar-La;

 

[Skymaster]

Randy : do you have a chainsaw and a belt sander? :rotflm:

 

[MarkE]

Randy : do you have a chainsaw and a belt sander? :rotflm:

Oh yeah, now we're talking. :gar-La;

 

[RandyJ]

Randy : do you have a chainsaw and a belt sander? :rotflm:

I do, I do!!!:eusa_danc

 

[Scwood]

Pardon the rough drawing, but this is what I did for several jobs where I had to make reducers.

James

The last floor I put down I started the strip just like this then sanded with a belt sander than a orbital.Thank the Lord it turned out just fine.