How to Make the Round Corners on a Picnic Table

Picnic tables are generally made with planks of wood placed side by side to form the tabletop with one or two planks at a lower level on each side as seats. Plain wood planks have squared-off edges, making their profile rectangular. Some woodworkers prefer to round off edges to give a more finished look and to protect small children from getting hurt on sharp edges. Rounded edges also protect tablecloths from snagging. To round the outer edges of a table that is already assembled, use a handheld router. To round edges of boards before assembling the table, use either a handheld router or a table router.

Router
Round-over bit
Clamps

Instructions

Handheld Router
- 1
  Select a router round-over bit with a shank that fits your router. This varies from a quarter inch diameter to a half-inch diameter.
- 2
  Insert the router bit into the collet, the metal opening where the router shank is mounted.
- 3
  Secure the piece of board to be edged firmly to the work surface with clamps. A table that is already built will not need to be secured because the boards are already bolted or nailed together.
- 4
  Turn on the router and glide it from left to right along the edge that needs rounding.
Table Router
- 5
  Select the proper router bit and mount it in the table router.
- 6
  Turn the router on, then position your piece of wood to the right of the router bit.
- 7
  Move the wood from right to left until the entire length of edge is rounded. Round all edges that you want rounded.

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How to Make the Round Corners on a Picnic Table

Instructions

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