Router

A router forum was conducted at the August 2001 meeting of the Woodworkers’ Association. Les Miller introduced the forum with a brief presentation of basic router problem solving as part of the skill share program. The following is a summary of his hints and short cuts for working with a router.

He began with a spectacular demonstration with a FElN POWER TOOLS router mat. A piece of Radiata Pine was placed on the surface of the mat and a large ogee moulding cut around the outside using a bright orange CMT bit in a 3 HP Makita with ferocious force. The audiences were amazed, as the timber did not move at all on the rubber mat..
A router depends upon a system of fences and guides. It is necessary to move the machine so that the rotation of the cutter forces the fence or guide against the workpiece. When the router is pushed away from you, it tends to veer to the left. When the router is pulled towards you, it tries to deviate under your right armpit. If, when cutting a trench or recess across the timber, the fence is clamped on the left-hand side of the router, then it will be "pushed" to force the router against the fence so creating an accurate trench. When the fence is on the right hand side of the router, pull it towards you to force it against the fence. If you feed in the wrong direction the router will ruin the work. The wrong direction of feed causes more problems than anything else when using the machine.
Every router is supplied with an adjustable guide which fixes to the body of the router to produce a groove or a moulding parallel to an edge or end. Fit an auxiliary timber strip on to the faces of the guide to make it longer and to close the gap in the guide. If owners use their routers only occasionally they can simply "forget" and become "confused" with the direction of feed.

Les has developed a chart (see above right) to hang on the workshop wall showing users which direction to push or pull to force the router against the guide or fence. He advises you to photocopy the chart and enlarge it to A3 size, colour it in, glue it on to a piece of plywood and hang it where you can see it from your bench. Then before you start routing look at the chart to see whether to "push or pull" the router.

Pilot bearing bits are commonly used for flush profiling, rebating and moulding. When moulding the outside of a panel the router must be operated in an anti-clockwise direction around the outside, as is shown on the chart. A rebate around the inside of the picture frame to receive the picture or the glass must be cut in a clockwise direction.

When a deep or large moulding is being produced, it should be cut in three or four passes of the router, each cut being a few millimetres deeper than the previous cut.

Les showed his pet method of setting the depth of cut using two pieces of timber the same thickness as the required depth setting: Place the base plate of the router on the two pieces of timber and plunge the cutter to the bench surface; then lock the plunge and set the depth stop.

He finally stressed a couple of safety points: Always remove the plug from the power point when adjusting the router or changing the bit. Always wear goggles and earmuffs and dust mask. In closing he encouraged members to bring their great ideas, jigs and gadgets to the forum at the next meeting.

Thanks were expressed to Les for sharing his skills.