Round over bit

[larliz]

What type of bit would I use to round over both sides of a 3/4" board? Is there a bit that would handle both sides at once or do you use a roundover bit on each side. What size bit?

[MadMark]

It's called a bullnose bit and it'll round both sides.

You can also make two passes with a standard roundover bit, but you have to make sure that the radius of the roundover is less than half the material thickness. Otherwise there is nothing for the bearing to ride against on the 2nd pass.

M

[larliz]

Can you use a bullnose bit handheld or do you have to use a table?

[eslacker]

I recently helped a buddy rip a sheet of MDF into shelves, then we rounded over the front edge, both top and bottom. The process was very easy w/ a 3/8" round-over bit and a small router table. I would think this would be the easiest way to go if you have a router table, because of the fence on the table and the stability for pushing your board across the bit. Good luck!

Ciao,

-Jei.

[TDHofstetter]

You can use either a twin-roundover bit with a bearing between two cutters or a bullnose. You can use the twin-roundover bit freehand if you like, just use it like a normal roundover bit.
The bullnose cutter, though, wants the fence on your router table to guide the wood past - because there isn't any kind of guide on the bit itself. It's just a cutter.

The bullnose can do what the twin-roundover can't. It can make the edge completely round like a dowel was glued to the edge. The twin-roundover bit leaves a small flat between the two rounded edges.

-- Tim --

Forever endeavor.