Got a router! Now what?

[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.

[bionicbadger]

Wear a mask too and be prepared for LOTS of dust.  Routering MDF creates tons of dust.  Do it outside if possible, less to clean up.

[shmokes]

I have that same set.  I picked it up about a month ago for my cabinet.  I too was brand new to routering.  I'm totally sold.  And the set seems to be fantastic, though I am not in a position to compare since it's the only router I have.  The case  is unbelievably well though-out.  I just got the Universal Edge Guide

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00002232W/qid=1055536334/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/103-6532549-5899023?v=glance&s=home-garden&n=507846

And there is even a place in the case to store it.  Very nice touch.  I haven't used it yet, but I think it is going to be a fantastic addition.  Also, it has a place to attach the hose of a shopvac to suck up most of the saw dust before it can make it to the floor and everywhere else within a 100-foot radius of your work area including your lungs.  Once again, I think it will be nice (if a bit cumbersome dragging the hose around).

All in all I have found it very easy to use and it seems, in many ways safer than some of the other tools I use, like a jigsaw.  This is because I have to keep both hands on the router at all times so there's no chance of cutting off a finger.  It wouldn't take that big a mishap or distraction to cause an accident like that with a tablesaw or jigsaw.  Just make sure you're prepared for the kickback when you first switch it on.  It's not bad, but if you aren't expecting it you will be very startled.  See, when it starts spinning the bit upwards of 24,000 RPMs for the first split second it would just as soon spin the router in the oposite direction and leave the bit where it is.  It's no biggie and I don't even notice it anymore.

[skirge66]

I used a 1/2" straight bit for mine. grabbed some of my scrap pieces of wood, measured from the edge of the bit to the edge of the router, clamped down the scrap to make a quick jig.

brax and bionicbadger hit the most important point though, face mask and safety glasses are a must, particularrly when routering MDF you don't want to be breathing that dust for sure.

 hell of a good tip brax on how to set the plunge depth for the trackball plate.