Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 02, 1999 03:44am | #1

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   Lynn,

   Why not? You can easily make custom trim with one or even 15 passes of a router. Just make sure you work safe, have your router in a good table, solid fence, side feather board to keep the work snug and consistent, and you're off and running.

   Because your doing it by hand, just allow extra for runoffs.

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 02, 1999 05:23am | #2

   *Carbide bits, go slow, and be careful. Here's a challenge...Limit yourself to a tablesaw and think two step. It's been done!

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 02, 1999 05:41am | #3

   *There is a thorough discussion with illustrations of this in Craig Savage's "Trim Carpentry Techniques". He makes it sound easy... You will need a decent table and a fairly muscular router (2+ hp) to do anything complex. (He doesn't like the table saw shapers, but I hear you can do a nice cove with a regular blade ... been meaning to try that.) Since you already have the wood, I guess you could save some significant money. Go for it, it sounds like a great idea.

2. 
   Bill_Duckworth | Apr 02, 1999 05:56am | #4

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   If you're doing it to save money, then don't: molding is cheaper to buy than it is to make. If you're doing it to have fun or to learn something new, have at it. Milling flat, straight lumber will make all the difference in your success quotient.

3. 
   lynn | Apr 03, 1999 01:20am | #5

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   I am thinking of routing the moulding for my kitchen and dining room remodel. Any advice pro or con would be appreciated. The house is about 50 years old and I salvaged all of the old lumber that was used as "trim" when I demolished the rooms.

4. 
   Guest_ | Apr 03, 1999 01:20am | #6

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   I can't disagree with any of the posts. I almost never do custom molding. You can paint or stain grade molding quite cheap. I use the old stuff for kindling (and it works quite nicely, thank you). I save custom molding for those home in which I want to match existing molding.

   If you do this yourself, for fun, make it fun. Use a big router, some holddowns, and go slowly, routing only about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch at a pass.