Router table - do I need a guide bearing?

[vavet]

I’m trying to put a roundover radius on a workpiece. I’ve borrowed a router table and I have the proper router bit, but it has a guide bearing. This seems redundant if the table has a fence, right?

Do I remove the guide being? Or do I move he fence out of the way. Seems like getting the fence dialed in just right will require more patience than just using the guide bearing, but I don’t have much experience with routers and even less with router tables.
Thanks

 

[SJay3660]

What I do with mine is take a straight edge and line up the router fence with the guide bearing and pull the fence slightly forward (away from the guide bearing). Been doing that for 20 years - works well.

 

[ghnl]

Unless the cut is very slight, you'll get the smoothest result by making 2 or 3 passes - each one slightly deeper. So, use both the fence (for the initial partial cut) and the bearing (for the final finish cut).

 

[lardy1]

I use bits with bearings without removing them in the same manner. I line the bearing up with the fence and saves the hassle of removing them. It doesn't change as you adjust your depth.

 

[Kevin54]

If you are running a router mounted to a table with a fence, you do not need a guide bearing. If you are running a freehand router, then you need a bearing.

 

[RKA]

Is the work piece contoured (round) or does it have straight edges?

Personally, I do it either way depending on what’s quicker if the piece has straight edges. If it’s just a couple pieces, I won’t set up the fence and I’ll feed the piece past the bearing and let the bearing do it’s thing. But if I have a stack of work, I would set up the fence as described above and run them along the fence. It goes quicker since you’re not sighting the work piece into the bearing. Just slap it against the fence and push them through.

If the work piece is curved, you don’t have a choice, use the bearing, not the fence.

 

[ez-duzit]

When a router bit has a bearing follower no fence is needed.

 

[RTM]

I’m with ghnl, I would use the fence for the first few light passes, finish on the bearing. But I am terrified of my routers, so I may be overly cautious.

 

[ez-duzit]

I’m with ghnl, I would use the fence for the first few light passes, finish on the bearing. But I am terrified of my routers, so I may be overly cautious.

A better way to "sneak up" on the finished cut is to adjust the bit low in the table so that you can continue to use the follower bearing.

The only time a fence is helpful, when using a bearing-guided bit, is when the workpiece is not deep enough to support the bearing properly, such as when applying a 3/4" bullnose to a 3/4"-thick workpiece.

 

[greg13]

Just leave the bearing and let the wood run against the bearing and not the tip of the bit. I have had burn marks on the wood from the tip.

 

[snickers muncher]

A better way to "sneak up" on the finished cut is to adjust the bit low in the table so that you can continue to use the follower bearing.

The only time a fence is helpful, when using a bearing-guided bit, is when the workpiece is not deep enough to support the bearing properly, such as when applying a 3/4" bullnose to a 3/4"-thick workpiece.

This is what works for me.

 

[The Cobbler]

the issue with a bearing is if the wood has a blemish on the edge, the small bearing will fall into it and make a noticeable divet in the profile. fence will give you better results, IMO. an as mentioned, flush the fence to the bearing .
depends on how big of a cut, what wood etc determines of you need several passes.

 

[brianh]

Move the fence out of the way and if the round over bit is 3/8 or less full depth is fine I do 1/2 at full but I do woodworking for a living. With a fence any slight bow in the material will not get a full cut.