I like the look of your table edge router bit named the reverse curve. I would like to use it on a router table to make my window sills. What is the purpose of a bearing on this bit if it is designed to be used on 3/4" material? What would guide the bearing? I am a novice woodworker and I am puzzled.
Thanks,
-Don
Shickshinny, PA
Our Expert
The bearing on a profile bit, such as Amana Tool reverse curve bit no.49555, serves two purposes: if you're shaping a tabletop with straight sides, the guide bearing is used to easily position the fence on the router table. Depending upon the horsepower of the router and the hardness of the stock I'll often shape the profile in several passes. For the final pass, I use a straightedge and position the fence tangent to the guide bearing.
If you're shaping a tabletop (or window sill) with a curved edge the guide bearing is used to follow a template which guides the cut. First a template is made of plywood. The template may be an arc, ellipse, or a freeform curve. The curve of the template is then traced onto the workpiece and the work is band sawn to the layout line. Afterward sawing the curve, the template is fastened to the work with screws or double-stick tape. During shaping, the guide bearing follows the template and the cutting portion of the bit shapes the profile along the curved edge of the work.
