What the heck is a climb cut?

Climb cutting when routing can be confusing. In this video we try to clear up the confusion and show some tips for identifying a climb cut and avoiding it.
Climb-cutting: Don’t believe the naysayers - Learn how to safely and effectively climb-cut with a handheld router
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Check out Bob Van Dyke's article on proper routing technique in issue 299 of Fine Woodworking
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[@chrisk7118]

Great explanation, cheers!

[@ptester1]

Flipping the workpiece over is a great tip. Unfortunately it only works with a square cut like was shown in the video. If you’re cutting an edge profile like a cove or an ogee, you have to work from the top of the piece.
In these circumstances I will sneak up on the cut, starting with a shallow cut in the ‘proper’ direction. Once I get close to my desired depth I switch directions and do climb cuts shaving a tiny amount of wood each time. By keeping the cut as thin as possible you minimize the amount of wood the router has to grab and thus the potential force with which it will pull away from you.
As always, you need to perform cuts so that both your tool and workpiece are always under control, whether it’s a proper cut or a climb cut.

[@blakerooney291]

As a visual learner this was super helpful. Thanks Ben!

[@MrPanohead]

We use it all the time. Especially on softwoods that are less than perfect. We make a lot of chamfered edges on fir and it can be really helpful to take a quick pass in the wrong direction first before finishing in the right direction. You can usually hear it coming when it wants to tear out and you just stop and switch to a climb cut first.

[@bobwhelk2117]

Well put!

[@jorgeherrera3554]

Thank you for the explanation.

[@sergiopereira]

Top shelf special effects in this video. 👏👏👏 Not making fun of it. Well, maybe a little but I'm loving it all!

[@RogerPack]

At 4:10 am explanation of what you would have used if it were right side up would have been useful for me a newbie. Also you never showed you doing a cross cut? Or was it circle back to the beginning and "Im of the camp that you never should so I'm not even going to show you..."? ;)

[@bobmartin6055]

Great explanation!!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@David_11111]

yay im just loving the blue cutter :)

[@dpmeyer4867]

thanks.........props to the prop

[@simonmills2375]

Thank you

[@justinjones9255]

💡 moment. Thanks!

[@sergiopereira]

Holy router bit, Batman! For the next video you are challenged to make a big ass router to spin that 🤣 Make sure to slow it down.

[@Eric-ww2qb]

😂grossly oversized router bit!😂

[@maxcastilo4945]

🤔

[@felishaelion2440]

☹️ PЯӨMӨƧM