Router Table Guide That A Carpenter Should Know

As you are here, it’s clear you are a woodworker, a professional one or a self willing person. You already know how important a router table is for woodworking. Nowadays a carpenter can’t imagine his beautiful creation without a router table. To bring the best output and give an extraordinary quality look to your creation you must need a router table guide and know the exact procedure of using it. If you want to use a router table effectively then this post is for you. First of all, you have to ensure one thing and that’s you have the best router table in your hand among all which are available in today’s tools market.

Router Table Guide That A Carpenter Should Know

Setting Up a Router Table

As it’s a speedy tool if you do not set up it accurately then your workpiece can be ruined or an accidental occurrence can take place. So you must need setting the router table very carefully.

Select the Proper Bit:

You can use a specific bit with the router but one thing which you need to keep in your mind is that the bit has been placed accurately into the bit holder which is called collet.1/4 inch and ½ inch are the common bits and they will easily reach to the collet and a nut will secure them. The bit body will be at the bottom of the shank which contains the cutters. This cutter will perform any kind of shaping on your workpiece which you will expect.

Secure The Bit:

The bit can wobble, sometimes can move inside the collet. If it occurs then it won’t cut through the wood properly. You need to be serious about it and protest the bit from doing that.

The machine can become hot so quickly for swift cutting performance. That’s why you should allow some space for expansion by pulling back the bit about 1/32 inch from the collet and you have to do all this thing just before securing the nut.

Fit the fence:

When the bit and router installation will be complete you will need to concentrate on fitting the router table fence. To make accurate cuts never place the fence parallel to the bits. It is highly prohibited using the fence together with a mitre gauge. It can cause damage so you need to be careful about that. Remove the fence before fitting the router table if you want to use a mitre gauge. What is a mitre gauge? A mitre gauge is a device which is used to hold wood piece which needs to be worked on at the desired angle.

Bit Height :

When the fence is adjusted you need to focus on to the height of the bit. You can use a router lift for easier adjustments. Remember that it’s essential to adjust to the accurate height of a bit.

Never Forget to Test:

After installation never forgets to run a test of your machine before starting with the actual workpiece. It is better observing the speed and performance before starting work. If your bit is on the larger side you should reduce the speed.

Workpiece Feeding:

The bit runs in the counter-clockwise direction. That’s why when you will feed the router with workpieces you must have to push from right to the left.

Different Techniques Can be Applied with Router Table:

Without cutting a piece of board you can perform many other things with a router table. You just need the proper knowledge to implement the techniques.

Patter Work or Edge Trimming:

Trimming edge and make it smoother is one of the most common uses of a router. Even it won’t be wrong if we say it is the router’s main area of expertise.

Stopped Cuts

When the cuts are only visible on a single part of stock never carried on to cover full are called stopped cuts. As a carpenter, you can effortlessly acquire stopped cuts on a workpiece for both practical and decorative purposes.

Raise Panel Doors

If you want to make raised panel cabinet doors you won’t be able to do it just using hand-held tools. As you will have to use big diameter bits, using hand tool will be risky. Even a hand-held router will not allow you to grind all the parts of the workpiece perfectly. In this circumstance, a router table will help you so much.

Moulding Small Stock

A router table will provide you with ultimate support whenever you will wish to mould small stocks. It is quite impossible with a hand-held router. Engaging both hands for gripping a narrow and small stock and routing it won’t be a better attempt.

Joinery Techniques

A router table can be used to perform various joinery operations smoothly. You just need to select and use the correct kinds of bits. Drawer lock bits, finger joint bits and lock mitre bits etc are some useful bits which can be used.

A Router Table Used as a Jointer

A router table can be used in various purposes and that’s why it can be supposed as a multi-tasking power tool. You can use your router table as a jointer easily.

A router table will be an essential woodworking tool for you if you can use it properly and implement all the techniques accurately. As a carpenter, at present, you won’t be able to imagine without a router table. You just need a good brand router table and the proper knowledge.