A woodworking router is a device used to hollow out or drill some part of a piece of wood. Early routers were hand-held devices and similar in appearance to a flat wood planer, except they had narrow, interchangeable blades instead of a large, flat blade. Today, it is one of the most versatile tools you will find in any workshop. With the right router bits, you can form borders, add decorative inlays, and even make raised door panels. To master the use of a woodworking router, practice is important.
The reason you need to master using one before you start tackling complex woodworking projects is because routing is a very quick process and there are risks involved such as trimming and cutting the wood. If you plan to use a woodworking router for your next project, here are some tips to live by.
Rule 1. Always hold the wood you are going to cut. C-clamps often work well, so use them if you can. Also, place two pieces of scrap wood on each side of the braces so you don’t damage sound wood.
Rule #2. Double check to make sure you are using the correct router bits for the type of wood cuts you want to make. Some types of bits to consider include dovetail (for creating strong joints for framing and shelving), twist (for smoothing and trimming edges on plastic and fiberglass laminate), and V-groove (for signage and sign work). ). Whenever you handle the sharp end of a drill bit, always be sure to wear protective gloves.
Rule #3. Run your router counterclockwise around the wood stock, across the grain at each end. After which, you can start cutting with the grain. Always move the woodworking router so that it cuts the wood in the opposite direction of the rotating bit.
Rule #4. You’ll want to start by making a shallow cut. It is always much better to make three or four small cuts, removing a small amount each time than to cut too deep and remove more wood than is necessary.
Rule #5. You should have a good idea of the speed of cutting wood. Do not cut too fast as that will result in wood chips. On the other hand, cutting too slowly can cause the wood to burn.
Once you learn how to use a woodworking router and the different router bits, you’ll be able to add designs and create intricate patterns with this highly versatile shop tool. Just remember to take your time any time you work with one and always wear gloves as the sharp edges can cut you if you’re not careful.