What are ovolo / rounding over

router cutters?

Ovolo router cutters, also known as rounding over cutters, have a flat-bottomed body with curved sides that straighten towards the shank.

As the name suggests, ovolo cutters are used for creating ovolos, rounding over the edge of materials, and creating grooves with curved sides. 

Design

Flutes

Ovolo/rounding over cutters typically have two flutes and so should produce a reasonably clean finish, provided they are of high quality.

For more information, see:  What are the parts of a Trend router cutter?

Bottom cut

Some ovolo/rounding over cutters have cutting edges that extend across their base, allowing them to be used in a plunge router to cut grooves in the surface of materials.

Guides

Ovolo/rounding over cutters are available with a shank-mounted guide, bottom guide, or no guide at all. 

Applications

There are different types of ovolo/rounding over cutter, so they can perform many different tasks. Some of the types of cut they can make include:

Cutting grooves

A round over / ovolo cutter can be used to create grooves with curved sides. This is often done when making decorative panelling. Grooves with different shapes can be made by altering the height of the cutter. 

Edge-cutting

With the aid of a jig or a fence - accessories that guide the router in a straight line, parallel with the edge of the workpiece - you can use this bit to round over a sharp edge. Rounded edges can give your material a softer and more attractive look. They are also less susceptible to splintering or chipping, and are less harmful should anyone knock against them by accident

Some round over bits come with a guide pin or bearing. This allows you to route along the edge of material without the aid of a guide fence. The non-cutting guide pin or bearing moves along the material, keeping the bit’s cutting edges a certain distance from the edge of the material, limiting the cutting depth.

Ranges

Ovolo/rounding over router cutters are available in the following Trend ranges:

• Trade router cutters

• CraftPro router cutters - Ovolo beads, Ovolo jointers and scribers and Ovolo and handrails.

• Replaceable tip cutters