If an adjacent long-grain edge isn’t to be routed, you can back up the profile cut with a piece of scrap to eliminate tear-out (Photo F).
The subsequent long-grain cuts will remove any tear-out (Photo E). When routing profiles, make it a practice to rout the end-grain edges of a workpiece first. No matter how carefully you feed, the unsupported fibers at the end of a cross-grain cut are likely to blow out to some degree. Ideally, use scrap of the same species or density. If you’re relatively new to routing, the best thing you can do is to practice on scrap before laying into your project wood. Try to feed at a consistent speed neither so fast that you stress the bit, nor so slow that you risk burning the wood. If it seems to be straining, take a lighter cut and/or decrease your feed rate.
Pay attention to the sound and feel of the tool as you cut. This is a particularly good approach when routing woods that are prone to tear-out or scorching. Most profiles can be cut in a single pass, but sometimes the cleanest profile is achieved with a first pass a hair shy of final depth, finishing up with a very light cut.
#Router tool definition series#
As a general rule, when dadoing, grooving, or mortising, take a series of 1⁄4"-deep passes to get to the final depth you want. Don’t try to hog off too much at once, especially in dense wood, or you risk bit chatter or breakage. Proper feed speed depends on the bite, the bit, and the density of the wood. Climb-cutting does have its uses, as explained in the sidebar at left, but should only be used with bearing-guided bits, not with a fence. Feeding in the opposite direction (called climb-cutting) causes the bit to push the router away from the edge or fence, resulting in an erratic cut. Proper feed direction ensures that the rotation of the bit pulls it against the workpiece edge (in the case of a bearing-guided bit) or against a fence. In that case, it’s best if the shank is the same size or smaller than the diameter of the fluted area, because it allows you to plunge deeper than the fluted section.įor a bit to cut as intended, the router needs to be fed in the correct direction, as shown in Figure 1. A notable exception here is a bit used for mortising. It provides a better grip in the collet, and the extra mass minimizes chatter, especially on long or large bits. Many bits are available with either a 1⁄4"- or 1⁄2"-diameter shank, and most routers these days include interchangeable collets to allow use of either size. Also, avoid suspiciously inexpensive bits, which are often poorly machined from inferior materials.
Don’t expect high-speed steel (HSS) bits to keep their edges for long. In this article, we’ll focus on handheld routing, covering the fundamentals of tool setup, proper feeding technique, and basic router guidance for making common cuts.Ĭlean cuts depend first of all on using sharp, good quality bits. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages.
The second is mounting the router in a table, in which case you’re bringing the work to the tool. The first is handheld routing, which is taking the tool to the work. There are two basic approaches to routing. Regardless of whether you’re using a fixed-base router or a plunge router, successful work means getting clean cuts located exactly where you want them.
#Router tool definition how to#
Mastering the router starts with knowing how to set up the tool and guide it. But once you learn to wrangle the little beast, you get to be fast friends as you realize all the tricks it can do, from shaping profiles and cutting joints to making perfect shapes and identically sized multiples. When you get your hands on a router for the first time and turn it on, it’s easy to be intimidated by the power that jumps to life in that small package.
0 kommentar(er)
