Woodworking routers.

[V8Ian]

I bought a cheapie, to build the kitchen. How do you use them? I'm trying to recess the corners of dressed pine, to get a flush bench top.
The cutting tool has two cutting edges, 180* apart. The rebate is set at 18 X 18 mm but the finish is very wavey on both planes. What am I doing wrong?
I should have just paid Jerry to do it. :(

[Ausfree]

Um, pay Jerry to do it.:whistling:

[pop058]

You Tube :p

[V8Ian]

I heeded your advice Paul, reducing the depth after watching a video. The depth is now smoother but the other plane is still wavey. The tool is 18mm so I'll try cutting less than 9mm per pass.
I'm thinking Jim's advice is sounder.

[Trout]

Are you sure you are cutting the in right direction. If you cut the wrong direction the bit rotation is pushing the router out of the cut. Very dangerous. :o I would also cut even less depth than that each pass. Slowly work up to the final depth and width. Final finish pass only a few mm at most to get the smoothest cut. Also move the router very slowly and keep pressure on the base plate and against the fence. You should cut perfect cuts.

[Brisruss]

The secret to a good finish with routers is to take small cuts. You run the risk of the bit grabbing if you try and chew off too much in one go.

What sort of router do you have? 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch? You might need 1/2 inch one.
The bit will also make as big difference. I have found cheap ones do not last long. They can be difficult to sharpen but not impossible if they loose their edge.

The other thing to watch is the direction of cut. Probably best to search for some Utube videos to get some tips.

Cheers,
Russ

[Saitch]

Ian, if you're really stuck I'm sure a mate of mine would be able to assist you over the phone (not like your 50c a min thingy though). He is an absolute wiz on all things wood.
Steve

[V8Ian]

Bloomin' wood, only good for barbecue fuel, it won't weld and you can't roll or bend it. ;)

[jerryd]

Um, pay Jerry to do it.:whistling:

Double time Saturdays Ian ;) Could do a deal for some chick feed :D

[jerryd]

:ttiwwp:

Can't quite figure out what you are trying to do Ian , my router is bolted into a table with adjustable stops etc for accuracy. You can always let your fingers do the walking..........phone :)

[V8Ian]

Trying to make a perimeter frame for the benchtop. The MDF will sit in the frame.

[V8Ian]

Hopefully a clearer picture.
I got the feed for nothing, so I can't wheel and deal with it. :p

[LandyAndy]

Bloomin' wood, only good for barbecue fuel, it won't weld and you can't roll or bend it. ;)
OI that's my surname you are messing with:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p
BUS DRIVER:):):):):):):):)
Andrew

[LandyAndy]

Can you get something from Ikea or Bunnings that's pre-fabbed????
Andrew

[V8Ian]

OI that's my surname you are messing with:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p
BUS DRIVER:):):):):):):):)
Andrew
Coach Captain if you please! :p


Can you get something from Ikea or Bunnings that's pre-fabbed????
Andrew
Not really, because the aisle is the datum, the benchtop has to be 950 wide.

[Walruslike]

Routers are one of the most dangerous tools around. Lots of different ways to come unstuck. Please don't touch it again until you've watched plenty of YouTube videos.

Small nibbles at it each time and steady movement. Safety gear and a healthy respect for the potential hazards. Practice on waste wood until it's working well.

Patience.... and don't try to weld it... or grind it or bend it.... :) (In fact you can actually bend it.... )

PS... I'm not any good at it... but I like pottering around with wood occasionally. Only a beginner though.

[V8Ian]

Actually, I have found that wood will bend, but it won't bend back. :mad:
Thank for the PM Andrew, I'll practice again tomorrow, taking small bites, on offcuts.

[V8Ian]

Routers are one of the most dangerous tools around. Lots of different ways to come unstuck. Please don't touch it again until you've watched plenty of YouTube videos.

Small nibbles at it each time and steady movement. Safety gear and a healthy respect for the potential hazards. Practice on waste wood until it's working well.

Patience.... and don't try to weld it... or grind it or bend it.... :) (In fact you can actually bend it.... )

PS... I'm not any good at it... but I like pottering around with wood occasionally. Only a beginner though.
I should be okay, I'll wear a bright yellow work shirt 👚, my employer seem to think they make us bullet proof. :rocket:

[Ausfree]

Coach Captain if you please! :p


Not really, because the aisle is the datum, the benchtop has to be 950 wide.

Yeah, get it right.:p

[V8Ian]

Yeehah! I've got this baby sussed, do it in small increments. The only minor issue is where I restart is a tad ordinary.
A router table would be the go.

[rijidij]

Yeehah! I've got this baby sussed, do it in small increments. The only minor issue is where I restart is a tad ordinary.
A router table would be the go.

Yep, small cuts, especially the final cut you should just take a shaving.
I used routers for 27 years making furniture, kitchens etc. If you were around the corner I'd be happy to help.
A router table can be a great help, especially when working with small profiles.

Cheers, Murray

[bblaze]

Yeehah! I've got this baby sussed, do it in small increments. The only minor issue is where I restart is a tad ordinary.
A router table would be the go.

Start in the middle of your timber, slowly lower the router until you are against the stops and then work towards the ends, should have the results up for viewing by now, ya had all night
cheers
blaze

[Saitch]

I trust that you can still count to 10, Ian?
Steve

[V8Ian]

Steve, I can count to 30 without using my toes. Talk about vibration :o, the Taswegians have nothing on me.:D

[V8Ian]

The first 2.4m length. I have 2@2.4, 2@.950 and 4@.600.
Should be done by Christmas. :D

[V8Ian]

:oops2: forgot the picture.

[Piddler]

:oops2: forgot the picture.

be easier to cut that out with a table saw than router.
just take the riving knife off.

cheers

[V8Ian]

be easier to cut that out with a table saw than router.
just take the riving knife off.

cheers
Speak English man! :confused:

[vnx205]

Start in the middle of your timber, slowly lower the router until you are against the stops and then work towards the ends, should have the results up for viewing by now, ya had all night
cheers
blaze

That makes it sound as if you are recommending moving the router in one direction then in the other direction.

Surely that is not what you mean!

[bblaze]

That makes it sound as if you are recommending moving the router in one direction then in the other direction.

Surely that is not what you mean!

yep, been doing it like that for years, small cuts. When I was signwriting full time I used to hand route timber signs and you cant cut the shape of any letter by going one direction. the secret is only take small cuts. I agree that there is pull and push etc on the router but a steady hand and small cuts will overcome that.
cheers
blaze

[crash]

As everyone else has said - take small increments until you get the depth required.
The other thing I will add is that is a small profile and it will be hard to keep the router base square - find some other timber that is the same thickness but wider than the work piece and put along the back side of the piece you are working on and that will give the router base a larger and flatter surface to work on - helping to keep everything square.

[Walruslike]

Hmmm yeah I would be using a circular saw to cut that... a router would take too long. And I didn't realise it was just straight 90 degree.

[vnx205]

yep, been doing it like that for years, small cuts. When I was signwriting full time I used to hand route timber signs and you cant cut the shape of any letter by going one direction. the secret is only take small cuts. I agree that there is pull and push etc on the router but a steady hand and small cuts will overcome that.
cheers
blaze

Obviously you have been able to use that technique safely, but I would still hesitate to recommend it to someone with little experience.

The risk of them getting a bit greedy and taking too big a cut is just too great.

I'm not sure that an inexperienced user would appreciate just how tiny the cuts need to be to get away with going in the wrong direction.

[Piddler]

Speak English man! :confused:

in English:

to remove a rebate like in the image.

use a table saw,
1. remove the riving knife. the piece that goes around the blade.
2. set blade height at depth rebate required
3. cut across material
4. set blade at other dimension required
5. rotate material 90 degrees and take other cut removing material

easy peasy result neat as a pin.

Cheers

[Trout]

Don't try starting in the middle and cutting the wrong way. Yes you can do it and get away with it but one day it's going to go very badly. If you are not experienced with routers this will probably be the first day you try it :o.

If you are having trouble at the start and end of the cut you can get around this simply by cutting the timber over length and then cutting off the rough ends after routing the rebate.

Looking at the size of the rebate you are trying to cut I would not have used a router. Table saw would be better but I assume you don't have one. Other way that also saves you wood is to glue up two pieces of timber to give you that cross section. If you do it right the join would be hardly visible even if not painted. Much better option than making all that sawdust.

[V8Ian]

A table saw sounds pretty heavy duty, until yesterday I'd never owned a router. I did use a spokeshave at school. :D
Woodwork is neither a pleasure nor my forte. :p

[jerryd]

A table saw sounds pretty heavy duty, until yesterday I'd never owned a router. I did use a spokeshave at school. :D
Woodwork is neither a pleasure nor my forte. :p

Free camping at Dayboro Ian ......the rout er should be known to you ;)

[V8Ian]

Free camping at Dayboro Ian ......the rout er should be known to you ;)

:D Onya Jerry, 50% reversing eh? ;)

[Walruslike]

You can do it with a router but it will take patience and a long time. If you buy a small circular saw. Set the cutting depth and test on scrap piece. Put the timbers together on the bench to get a wider flat surface, hold them down with clamps over a flat top piece or pieces so it's tightly bound together but all one flat top edge. Set the guide rail on the saw to the correct width then run down the edge to do the vertical cut. You may need to do it in stages moving the clamps to get either side of clamps. Turn piece 90 degrees set up as before then do next cut.

Good luck and be careful no matter what method you use. Lot of nine fingered blokes out there.... :)

[Piddler]

Find a mate with a Triton saw bench or better and will have done in 5 minutes.

Take into a kitchen manufacturer they will do in 5 minutes.

Cheers

[V8Ian]

Find a mate with a Triton saw bench or better and will have done in 5 minutes.

Take into a kitchen manufacturer they will do in 5 minutes.

Cheers
That's cheating.
The end pieces aren't rebated to the ends either.

[Walruslike]

That's cheating.

The end pieces aren't rebated to the ends either.



That's what chisels are for. :)

[V8Ian]

That's what chisels are for. :)

Yep, now where's my sharpening stone.

[Piddler]

That's cheating.
The end pieces aren't rebated to the ends either.

Yes they are rebated to end.

[Walruslike]

Yes they are rebated to end.


Depends on how he joins I suppose... 45 degrees means go to ends... butted together not so much. :)

[V8Ian]

I can't do 45* as I need an overall length of 2460, the board and timber is only 2400.

[TheEntertainer]

So much easier if it's mounted on a router table, much more control.