Making fiddle rails

[Roach1948]

I need to make some fiddle rails for a sideboard, the trouble is that they are quite small and I keep messing up using the corner round bit on the router – they are too small to clamp down and get a run on the router, so I have clamped the router to the bench and fed the wood in (wearing very thick gloves) – well I mess it up every time. The thing either bounces, or makes a gouge, or I ned up with a wavy contour. What is the way to contour these fiddly little rails? Is there a trick I am missing?

 

[Billy_Mizzen]

Perhaps a router table?

 

[Captain Coochie]

Clamp the fiddle beteen two points and support the router (fixed) above that . Then plunge down and turn the fiddle to make your cut .

Big version ......

sounds like a drill lathe made by wolf craft ? is just what you want , or i could knock them up for you unless you want thousands of them /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[nmiller]

It seems to me that by the time you have set up the router etc, you could have finished the job, and derived more pleasure by using a sharp block plane, taking corners off just as you would round a spar. Absolutely guarantee keeping all of your finger tips as well.
Nick

 

[Captain Coochie]

I assumed that the round over was to be in the centre of the work and the ends would be fixed to a rail , making a fiddle rail .

 

[Poignard]

Start with a wider piece of timber so you have more support for the router, rout the edge, then saw it off.

Instead of clamps use double-sided sticky tape.

If you can get to Horsham, may I suggest attending one of Ron Fox's 1-day router courses? Good value and you learn a lot.

 

[Roach1948]

Thanks chaps. I only have 3 to make so a router table is really OTT. I reckon I will go with Nicks suggestion and now that Roach is launched, I can do that aboard.

Twister - should have done that course a long time ago.....

 

[Captain Coochie]

I must be missing something then ? I assumed you wanted to turn the fiddles for the fiddle rails /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Ron Fox is master of the router ..... ish
I have seen him a few times and my ex used to call him Ronnie the router /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif God i miss her , she used to crease me up /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[meldrum]

might I suggest making larger deeper fiddles they may not be quite so aesthetically pleasing, but they will be of much more practical use at sea. Small fiddles aren,t really a lot of use. also a block plane and sanding might be a better way as unless the router tool you are using is of a large enough radius ie half the thickness of the fiddle you will always have difficulty achieving a decent finish.

 

[Roach1948]

Sorry Cuchilo, I mean fiddles alone and not rails - no wonder you got confused.

 

[Captain Coochie]

[ QUOTE ]
no wonder you got confused.

[/ QUOTE ]

It doesnt take alot /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[absit_omen]

IBTC also do a router course. 3 days and about £350.00. However, you get you make your own quality router table with the materials provided.

Perhaps for the future?

 

[Poignard]

If you haven't much to do you may as well use a wooden moulding plane for rounding over. You can find these on eBay and second hand tool shops. When sharpened they give a good result and you can finish the job in less time than it needs to set-up the router.