Cutting for T mod

[acidblue0]

Whats the best way to make my T mod cut? I'm using plywood. Don't want to screw up LOL. Only have one try on this LOL.

[Franco B]

Definitely practice on some scrap material first if you can.

These pictures probably explain it best:



This is the slot cutting assembly. It consists of the arbour/nut, guide bearing, slot cutter and washers. You assemble the router as shown and then eyeball the center height that the cutter wants to be in. Then take a test cut in a scrap piece of material which will look something like this:



You can see the bearing runs along the material and stops the slot cutter from cutting too deep.

You don't need to take as long of a cut as in that picture, a couple of inches will do. Then take a look at the slot, if it is a long way off center adjust the depth stop and then cutter height which should look something like this:



Take another cut, you should be closer to center now. To check you are bang on center, flip the material over and take a cut in the same slot as your previous cut, if the height is set correctly the router should move very little to no material. If it does remove material then half the error with the depth stop and repeat cutting a slot on both sides of the materail until it removes no material on the second side.

[severdhed]

definitely practice on a scrap first

[shponglefan]

Definitely practice on scrap first.  Make sure to keep the router flush with the board you are cutting.  I made the mistake of lifting my router ever so slightly in places when cutting, resulting the slot being too high and the T-molding didn't fit correctly.

Also, if you're doing it for a control panel, I'd cut the slot first and drill the holes second.  This way if you screw up the slot, you don't have to redrill every single hole on a new piece.

[mcdegga]

I would only add; Take your time. Let the router do it's job and cut the wood. Don't force it, even steady pressure will win out in the end.