Bead and Cove Router Bits - Where to buy in USA?

I've been looking around for bead and cove router bits and have come up with nothing.

I have 1" thick foam to bead and cove.

Any suggested vendors?

 

I looked for bits that would join 1" thick materials and I found that there's not much out there. Most every company appears to be completely ignorant of the fact that measurements need to be supplied. They say nothing of radius (which is the vital statistic) because the company is made up of people who know nothing of their product except its catalog number. Welcome to 2010.
I will suggest this: the cove part can be made by running the foam through a table saw on edge, at an angle (as viewed from above--- using a fence somewhat at an angle to the regular rip fence). Any size cove can be done this way.
The bead can be done using a standard round-off bit with a 1/2" radius---- the first edge with the router flat on the panel. The second half with the router on the edge of the panel (otherwise the bearing will ride too deep). Do you understand?

 

http://woodgears.ca/cove/calculate.html

http://woodgears.ca/cove/index.html

http://woodgears.ca/cove/asymmetric.html

 

Norton Carbide Tools
5775 Orange Drive
Davie, FL 33314-3819
(954) 587-8665


That is where I get my custom carbide tooling and these as well.

 

Thanks, Alan and Wardd. I do understand the method, but my coves have to be exact and I easily have 4500ft+ of coving (and beading) to do. Damn close to a mile!

I need to do what War Whoop is showing in the picture. Thanks for the referral to Norton Carbide, Mr. Whoop. I'll give them a try.

 

Great info, Wardd. I know the trick of tilting the saw blade, which I've use to "generate" complex moldings (to match century-old moldings in old houses). I still think the table saw process is as good or better than the router bit method, maybe because I own the table saw and I don't have a mini-shaper. I'm glad someone supplied the vendor for you, any case.

 

Two large routers on a 1" MDF topped Bench, the One shown was the bead, the core box bit was on the other side,it captured the planks and held a exact cove.

 

You don't need a 1" bit for 1" foam. A 3/4" will leave only 1/8" square edges which will not be a problem.

 

Go full size

 

Coves made with a table saw blade are not of a set radius, they are elliptical in shape and so can't be matched with any bead router bit.

 

Correct, but the difference is insignificant as long as the depth of the cove is reasonable..

 

Coves made with a table saw are not eliptical but circular. They are not a half circle however, which most half round bits are. There will be more glue needed to fill the gap.

 

Here's half the problem solved, if you can get a cove to come close to the radius.

Having a wide radius will reduce fragile feather edges on the coves in the foam.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/category.aspx?key=161200

 

The beauty of the system is it's ability to wrap a curved surface with smaller planks and a full size joint is required for this so the planks bead is not raised in the cove through slight rotation off a shoulder creating a unnecessary Putty filled expensive and heavy joint when the core is desired.

The feather edges are fine long as care is used.

 

Considering the linear amount of cove and bead work you need, Catbuilder, a custom bit set is a reasonable option. Personally, I make them up my self, but many don't work metal, know how to weld, have the tools, etc., so a local machine shop can fix you up for not much money.