Got a router! Now what?

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mkdevo:
hello all...

well, i came home yesterday to a nice surprise from my fiancee:

http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=5585

sweet!

now, this weekend i want to countersink (or recess, whatever you call it) my joysticks and my trackball mounting plate. what do i need (bits? size?) in order to do this? and is it easy?

this will be my first time using a router, so.. i'm using 3/4" MDF, competition joysticks, and a happs 3" TB mounting plate. what's next?

Hoagie_one:
get a practice piece

RandyT:
I'll second that! Routers are very cool, but also can be very tricky to control.

The bit is spinning so fast that it's very easy to let it get out of control and cut into things you don't want cut. The blades are also VERY sharp, so make sure you think about all the "possibilities" before you start cutting. Wear eye protection and a mask, and don't have loose clothing/string/etc. hanging around the working area.

With that out of the way, make sure you make some guides to run the router against to make your cuts. With a lot of practice, you probably wouldn't need these unless you need perfect lines. But seeing that you are just starting out, better to be safe.

There are MANY different kinds of bits. For what you want to do, a 1/4" spiral will probably work well for a straight through cutout, and a 1/2" to 3/4" mortissing bit for the recess. The spiral would also work, but take you longer due to the size.

But definitely practice on something you don't care about first.

RandyT

Sprucemoose:
Use some type of straight bit. I found a $10 set of 5 random bits, including a straight cut bit at sears hardware. Worked great for my MDF CP. Good luck and don't cut your finger off!

Brax:
Use a straight bit.
Practise on scrap first to get the feel of it.
WEAR SAFETY GLASSES[/i]

Even a piece of dust flung into your eye at 20,000 RPM does not feel nice. Now think about what a pin head sized piece of wood would feel like.

Also. You get what you pay for in bits. Really cheap bits will burn the heck out of your wood. At the least, buy half decent bits.

Oh, and another thing. You're mounting a trackball. A quick way to set the recess depth for your plate:
Put the plate down on a flat table.
Position the router base plate on the trackball mounting plate so the bit just hangs off the edge of the trackball plate.
Plunge the router until the bit hits the table. (p.s. the router is OFF! heh.)
Now your depth is set EXACTLY for the thickness of your mounting plate.

Whenever possible, use this method to set depths. Measuring is never as accurate as this.

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