Do you know the right way to use a wood router? If no, then, how to use a router? As a router is a versatile and powerful tool for applying complex or basic edge profiles on the piece of wood. Is the router is able to do this task only?
No, a wood router is able to do more than that. For this reason, you need practice, with the help of experience you can use a router to perform a different variety of woodworking tasks that you may do with hands before knowing this.
How to Use a Router for Beginners is Easiest Way
Professional and experienced woodworkers know very well how to use a router. But we are especially providing this guide for the beginners. After reading this, they are able to work safely with plunge as well as stationary routers.
So, this is a great thing to start your professional work by reading basic things about the tools. Despite, the wood router comes with a number of different bits as well. With the usage of different bits, a person is able to apply a large number of profiles on the edge of the board. Do you want to use a wood router? Don’t know where to start? Just follow our guide ‘how to use a router’. You will absolutely get an answer to every question in detail.
Some basic things before discussing how to use a router
Variable Speed
We know that routers are divided into two different categories, plunge base, and fixed base. Both are a little bit different from other. So, both of these have different or variable speed. As variable speed is the most necessary feature to demand in your router.
When you are working with very large diameter bits, then, you must lower the revolution per minute of the router for safety issues. It is true that you are just unable to run large diameter router bits at full speed. So, variable speed is more important if you want to use your wood router in the right way.
Router Bit Shanks
As we have described that router bits are available in different sizes as well as shanks. Most common two sizes of shanks are including ½” and ¼”. If you have a choice, then, we recommend you to buy a router with the shank size of 1/2”. What is the reason behind this? As the larger shank is able to provide you with two advantages.
First, it will help you to stabilize the router bit under great cutting pressure; this means that you will get a nicer cut. Second, it will also give the collet to grab more surface, therefore, there are fewer chances of the bit to lose.
Installing Bit
How to install a router bit in your wood router? Installing a router bit takes great care. First of all, changing bits is making a certain the router is unplugged. After that just make your life easier and bust a fewer number of knuckles.
Now, the time has come to tighten the collet because you have installed the router bit completely.
Now, coming back to our main point on how to use a router. Here we have a few steps to use the router in an easier way. Read these steps carefully if you are a beginner in this work.
Secure Your Work
When you are routing in your workshop, the thing you want that you have to chase the material across the shop. This is the reason, it surely needs to be well secured to your router table to bench. What is the solution to this problem? First of all, you need to clamp your material in the right place. As these clamps often get in the way of the router and have to be repositioned with the passage of time.
What are you expecting from us? We recommend you to use a router mat because it will provide you an excellent non-skid surface. So, without any tension, you can work around all the edges of the material without any interference.
Where you can find this mat? You are able to get these router mats woodworking stores and home centers. We have another tip for you. If you see the mat is losing the grip, then, just rinse it under water to get all dust out of the mat. This also helps you to gran its position back.
Protect Yourself
Security and protection are one of the most important things if you are working on any project or application of woodworking. Then, what to do for your protection? You will know all these aspects only in the guide “how to use a router”.
What is the reason behind this protection? We know that routers are loud enough to cause serious damage to your hearing while working. You will damage your ears if you do not protect these in a proper way. On the other hand, you should also wear suitable eye protection while you are routing material.
Go to the Right Direction
Always choose the right direction in all purposes of your lift. If you want to use a router in the safest way, then, you have to move this in the right direction. As you should go counterclockwise when you are just routing the outside edge of the board.
What is the benefit? If you will go in the right direction, it will prevent from climb cutting and also getting away from you. But, when you are working or routing inside the edge of the frame, then, move this in the clockwise direction.
Turn it Upside Down
You will expand the capabilities of the tool if you mount the router upside down in the router table. It will make your routing experience safer and easier. The tool held very securely in place, you can use both of the hands to safely feed the stock into the bit. In this way, the bit is clearly visible, you can see that what you are doing.
As router tables are very important when milling very smaller parts, cutting stopped grooves of the tool, and also use the bits of larger diameter. There are also some other bits which you can use only in a router table.
According to research, most of the router tables typically don’t come with the routers as well. So, you have to check the requirements before you fit the router to the router table.
Turn it Upside Down
It is another important answer to the question “how to use a router in the easiest way”. As building a traditional panel and frame cabinet doors is simply impossible without the use of a router. So, the rails and stiles that form the frame must be joined together with very tight-fitting sticking and coping joints.
Moreover, a raised panel of the door has beveled edges, so it will fit into the shallow grooves cut in the parts of the frame. You can assemble this frame with glue only, therefore, all the joints must be milled very precisely for the parts to fit very properly.
On the other hand, the wood router is the only tool to use to cut these joints properly. In another context, you also need a router table to make the cuts safely.
Dovetail Details
You must know that there is some wood joint which is beautiful and strong as a dovetail. Why we use dovetail joints? These joints are commonly used to build blanket chests, drawers, and jewelry boxes.
Now came to the next point, install the pin board into the template, so use a straight router bit to cut the pins as well. It is true that it is a little bit tricky to get all the tails and pins properly aligned. So, we advised you to make few test cuts in scrap wood just before routing the workpieces.
Let us discuss the four ways to Rout
1: Straight Groove
We know that grooves are very important in the woodworking. These appear everywhere in the woodworking. This actually means, use one to seat a drawer bottom in the drawer sides, back as well as the front. You have to use a fence accessory to make a groove with the router. For this fact, set the fence at the required distance from the bit and also set the depth of the bit.
2: Dovetail Joint
What are the common things required for dovetailing? Two things are required for dovetailing including a corresponding bit and dovetail template. With the help of this capability, you can perform two different operations. With the help of one, you are able to cut the dovetail and other you can cut the pins as well. Now, push these two parts together with wood glue between them. So, you have nearly unbreakable joints.
3: Routered Edge
What is the main purpose of using a wood router? We know that the router is very useful in the workshop. It is able to cut any decorative edge on a material. It starts from a simple rounded corner to a series of curves in a single pass with Roman ogee bit. All of these shaping operations may be guided by a bit minus and ball-bearing bits. So, you have to take a test to run on the scrap before working on the actual piece with the usage of either method.
4: Template Cut
Last way to rout is template cut. It is the fastest way to make an exact duplicate of a part is top-bearing and pattern straight bit. It includes four bracket feet for a blanket chest. So, bearing rolls along the pattern means the straight bit also carves the wood very well.
Start in the Right Spot
If you working on any project and routing all four edges of the board, then, it is important for you to make all the cuts in the right sequence. You have to start on end grain. When the bit exits the end grain, it will slightly chip the adjacent edge of the material. So, you will automatically clean up the chipping when you rout the edge.
Wood Router Buying Guide
After reading the whole guide, if you are ready to invest in your first Best wood router, you must keep all the required features of the tool in your mind. You must know the power, amount of investment, model and all the things you need. You may also question yourself whether you need a router table or not?
Which model of the wood router best representing the excellent return of the money. We recommend you to read the full guide “how to use a router” before buying any wood router for you.
Final Verdict
It is also recommended that you must use your wood router from left to right. What is the benefit of this care? No doubt this will make sure the blade of the cutter makes even correct contact with the material or wood. If you will force the router through the timber, then, it may burn the wood in no time.
The router is the most used tool in any woodworking workshop. So, you must take great care while using this because it is your companion for a long interval of time. Here, we have all from the subject how to use a router in the right way. We hope that you will get enough information from this guide on how to use a router in the best way. If you have any query regarding this subject, then, you can tell us in the comments below.