Router shimming

I’m finally trying to clean up the cutting at the bottom of my pockets. It’s not bad at all, but i want to dial it in as well as I can. The picture below is from standing in front of the x-carve. Running my finger across the cuts, it feels as if the front of the cut is slightly higher than the back. Sanity check here, I would want to try to shim the top of the router bracket slightly to bring the bit more true to square?

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Most of us did the same adjustment. I have post and pictures about this, but I couldn’t find it now. Basically I added shim to bottom of Z axis plate by loosing two holding screws all the way bottom. Good catch.

Not an uncommon problem. Here’s a thread that shows how I shimmed the top of mine out: Squaring a spindle in YZ (lesson learned) - #2 by RobertA_Rieke

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Thanks, guys. Just shimmed with a couple pieces of card stock at the bottom of the router. Probably need to go with one more piece, but cut a new sacrificial board with a 3/4" bit and the lip is only slightly noticeable. Step in the right direction.

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Has anyone adjust their machine to the point where the bottom pocket is perfect or nearly so? If so, please take a picture of your best result. I always assumed that a little bit of this was a fact of life, but if it can get near perfect, I will try to adjust as well.

I’m going to make one more adjustment this evening and then try some more pockets. I feel like I’m pretty close to getting them clean, so hopefully I can report a positive result.

I shimmed mine until it was perfect with the 3/4" wasteboard cutter. Now whenever I use a 1/8" bit, it’s flawless. It’ll probably be this weekend before I can use it, but I’ll take a picture when I do.

That makes sense. Shim using the biggest cutter as a guide.

I did the same. Worked until the 3/4" was about as perfect as I can get it. Just cut this one with 1/4" and I’m quite happy with the results. I can run my fingernail along the bottom now without feeling the ridges…big difference from my first pic in the thread. Haven’t done a 1/8" pocket yet.

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