Tearout Problem Soved

In previous posts, I described a tearout problem I experienced while shaping the sides of the Shaker Hanging Shelf. Cherry is not only hard but also somewhat brittle and I had ruined several side pieces by splitting out small chunks of wood when routing across the grain. The solution came in the form of a shear angle router bit from MLCS Woodworking.

The photo shows two flush trim router bits side by side. The bit on the left is a standard pattern bit with the carbide cutter running parallel to the axis of the bit. The one on the right is the shear angle bit with its diagonally oriented cutter. The bit has been equipped with guide bearings above and below the cutter so it can be used both as a pattern bit and a flush trim bit. In use, the angled cutter has a cross-grain slicing action compared with the chopping action of the conventional bit. I found it cut more smoothly than the conventional bit, with less tendency for tearout when dealing with irregular grain.

I am adding MLCS to my links section for those interested in trying the bit themselves. I have purchased a number of bits from this source over the years and can recommend them as a source for reasonably priced bits of decent quality.