A Router is a hand tool or power tool that routs (hollows out) an area or “pocket” in hard material, such as wood or plastic. A Router can also be used to create chamfered, coved, beveled, rounded or otherwise, decorative edges on a piece of material. Routers are mainly used in woodworking, especially cabinetry. Usually they're handheld or fastened, with the cutting end up, in router tables.
A router employs a spindle driven by an electric motor, and various cutting bits can be installed in the collet at the end of the spindle. We have four different types of routers in the SOA: A fixed base router, a plunge base version, a smaller lighter version designed specifically for trimming laminates, and a table-mounted version.
Routing is a high-speed process of cutting, trimming, and shaping wood, metal, plastic, and a variety of other materials.
The router is positioned at the finer end of the scale of work done by a moulding / profile cutter. That is to say it is able to cut grooves, edge moulding, and chamfer or radius the edge of a piece of wood. It is also possible to use it for cutting some woodworking joints. The shape of cut that is created is determined by the size and shape of the bit (cutter) held in the collet, and the depth, by the depth adjustment of the sole plate. In the SOA, we typically use a ¼” Collet and a ½” Collet with attached nuts, since all of our router bits have either a ¼” or ½” shank diameter.
The tool usually consists of a base housing a vertically mounted universal electric motor with a collet on the end of its shaft. The bit is height-adjustable to allow protrusion through an opening in a flat sole plate, usually via adjusting the motor-mounting height (the mechanism of adjustment is widely varied among manufacturers). Control of the router is derived from a handle or knob on each side of the device, or by the more recently developed "D-handle".
There are two standard types of router—plunge and fixed. When using a plunge-base router, the sole of the base is placed on the face of the work with the cutting bit raised above the work, then the motor is turned on and the cutter is lowered into the work. With a fixed-base router, the cut depth is set before the tool is turned on. The sole plate is then either rested flat on the workpiece overhanging the edge so that the cutting bit is not contacting the work (and then entering the work from the side once the motor is turned on), or the sole plate is placed at an angle with the bit above the work and the bit is "rocked" over into the work once the motor is turned on. In each case, the bit cuts its way in, but the plunge router does it in a more refined way, although the bit used must be shaped so that it bores into the wood when lowered. Plunge-cutting Router Bit
The baseplate (sole plate) is generally circular (though this, too, varies by individual models) and may be used in conjunction with a fence attached to the base, which then braces the router against the edge of the work, or via a straight-edge clamped across the work to obtain a straight cut. Other means of guiding the machine include the template guide bushing secured in the base around the router cutter, or router cutters with built-in guide bearings. Both of these run against a straight edge or shaped template. Without any type of guide, the varying reaction of the wood against the torque of the tool makes it impossible to control by hand, with the precision normally required.
To reduce the risk of injury, turn unit off and disconnect it from power source before installing and removing accessories, before adjusting or when making repairs. An accidental start-up can cause injury.
To remove the motor unit from the base unit:
To avoid possible damage to the collet, never tighten the collet without a bit.
To reduce the risk of injury, turn unit off and disconnect it from power source before installing and removing accessories, before adjusting or when making repairs. An accidental start-up can cause injury.
To reduce the risk of injury, turn unit off and disconnect it from power source before installing and removing accessories, before adjusting or when making repairs. An accidental start-up can cause injury. |
The following directions refer to Fig. 3.
NOTE: Setting the index line to 1/4" on the ring means the cutting edge of the bit is exposed 1/4" below the base.
Before connecting tool to power source, check to see that the switch is in the "OFF" position.
Before starting the tool, clear the work area of all foreign objects. Also keep firm grip on tool to resist starting torque.
To start the tool, move the rocker switch (B) Fig. 18 to the "ON" or "1" position. To stop the tool, move the rocker switch to the "OFF" or "O" position.
To avoid personal injury and/or damage to finished work, always allow the power unit to come to a COMPLETE STOP before putting the tool down.
Always be sure the work is rigidly clamped or otherwise secured before making a cut. When routing the edges, hold the router firmly down and against the work with both guiding knobs. Since the cutter rotates clockwise (when viewing router from top), the router should be moved from left to right as you stand facing the work. When working on the inside of a template, move the router in a clockwise direction. When working on the outside of a template, move the router in a counter- clockwise direction. Avoid “Climb-Cutting” (cutting in direction opposite that shown in Fig. 20). “Climb-Cutting” increases the chance for loss of control resulting in possible injury. When “Climb-Cutting” is required (backing around a corner), exercise extreme caution to maintain control of router. The speed and depth of cut will depend largely on the workpiece. Keep the cutting pressure constant but do not crowd the router so the motor speed slows excessively.
On exceptionally hard woods or problem materials, more than one pass at various settings may be necessary to get the desired depth of cut.
When making cuts on all four edges of the workpiece, make the first cut on the end of the piece across the grain. If chipping of wood occurs at the end of a cut, it will be removed when making the next cut parallel with the grain.
When you are finished working with a router at the workbench, or router table, clean the area before leaving the workstation. There are 4 Blue Trash barrels (image needed) in this room, and each one has a broom, bench brush and dust pan attached. You must use these items to clean up your work areas at each machine, or table, when you are finished working there. Also, there are scrap barrels at each workstation to deposit scraps of material, which may be useful for someone else. Please do not put materials with stray hardware or glue on them, or food/drink items, only re-usable materials should be put into the scrap barrels. Anything else should be put into the Blue trash barrels.
