Using a router

For shaping wood quickly and cleanly, the router is a wonder tool. Itīs basically a high-speed motor mounted vertically in a housing. Router cutting bits are attached to a chuck at the bottom of the motor. You can buy bits designed for cutting a wide variety of shapes and patterns.

Before using a router, test it out on a piece of scrap wood to determine if itīs set for the proper depth. Always clamp your work and wear proper eye protection. Keep the bit away from the wood when starting the motor. After the router reaches operating speed, firmly grip the handles and slowly move the bit into the work. Feed the router at an even speed. The tip of the bit rolls along the wood, guiding the cut. Routers also come with a fence attachment to guide you in cutting grooves and dadoes parallel with an edge or end of a board. For extensive routing projects, a router table mounts the router upside-down, with the bit protruding up through a hole in the table. A fence on the table guides the work as itīs being cut.