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Router lessons learned - first timer

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Tailgunner:


--- Quote from: KrawDaddy on October 11, 2004, 09:09:15 pm ---  and put the circular saw away.  There a material wasting nightmare.

--- End quote ---

 ???

First rule of woodworking: Measure twice, cut once.

Typical circular saw kerf is 1/8".

Typical router straight cutting bit is at least 1/4" .

On a given amount of cutting, the router will make twice the mess. ;)

KrawDaddy:


--- Quote from: Tailgunner on October 11, 2004, 10:55:07 pm ---
--- Quote from: KrawDaddy on October 11, 2004, 09:09:15 pm ---  and put the circular saw away.  There a material wasting nightmare.

--- End quote ---

 ???

First rule of woodworking: Measure twice, cut once.

Typical circular saw kerf is 1/8".

Typical router straight cutting bit is at least 1/4" .

On a given amount of cutting, the router will make twice the mess. ;)

--- End quote ---

Ya got me  ;)  I guess I meant to say - theres less of a chance for mistakes

Try a rough cut a 1/4" to big with a jig or circular then finish trim it with a router.  Seems to work well

ErikRuud:

When using a circular saw, measure twice, use a fence and you will get results that are just as good as you can with a router on straight cuts.

captainpotato:


--- Quote from: DrewKaree on October 11, 2004, 07:03:09 pm ---Tighten down your bit.  Then, after you have done that, go back and check to see if you have tightened down your bit.  If you have, tighten down your bit.

These things spin ~20,000 RPM's, and trust me, from experience, you won't be able to tell WHERE it is if it comes out of your router, so don't think you're some macho guy who'll "just jump outta the way".

You'll be the lucky guy who gets to tell us all how it feels to stop a spinning router bit with your leg.....and how many stitches it takes to close that gaping wound.

If your router comes with a dust shield, use it.  If it comes with a vacuum attachment for your dust shield, use it.  If it comes with an "power on lock" for keeping it running with your finger off the power switch, DON'T USE IT.

And lastly, make sure you tighten down your router bit.

--- End quote ---

I've got another tip - don't over-tighten it. I did this the first time I ever put a bit in my router and it took three people and a couple of hours to get the damned thing undone. You should have seen the state of my knuckles afterwards :P

Tighten it until you need to apply a bit more pressure, then tighten it a bit more, but no further. At least it works for me like this.

traig:

Some random advice...

If you're like me and did a poor job with some of your straight cuts, a router with a straight bit and a properly set fence is a godsend. I originally cut my control panel top with a jigsaw and had edges that were not at all vertical. The straight bit saved me.

When I cut my lexan and overlay for the panel top, the left too much around the perimiter on purpose so I could then use the laminate trimming bit to flush everything. It worked like a charm.

You know this already if you're working with MDF, but routing away even a little groove in that stuff makes a mess. When I routed out three squares of 1/4" deep for my joysticks, the mess it made was bordering on the absurd. Thank God I did that part outside... it saved my marriage...

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