What Does A Wood Router Do: A Simple Guide To Routing in

These days, having a wood router in your workshop is practically a requirement. From simple trims and edge cleanups to intricate surface designs, having the right router for the job is simply a must. When you are thinking of choosing a wood router, you generally have two overall specs to choose from: motor size, and base style.

Each category of motor size works best with a certain range of jobs in mind. Your choice of base styles, on the other hand, is often a matter of personal preference, as well as the complexity of the project you will be working on. Below is a basic breakdown of whats out there and which model will be best suited for your needs.

Routers are designed to be powerful workshop machines. As such, their performance ratings are often specified in terms of horsepower hpfor the most part. The smallest of wood routers are equipped with consumer-grade motors putting out 1 hp at most. For making joints, trimming, and intricate inlay works, these routers offer excellent maneuverability while still remaining decently powerful.

These are a great first choice for most people who are getting started with routers and they also tend to be the least expensive types as well. Palm routers are the sort wood router hand tool example can take with you and are very portable and work well for quick tasks like mortising door hinges or doing window cutouts.

For small delicate work and onsite use, palm routers are your best bet. They are compact, lightweight, cost-effective, and they come in cordless models as well. For larger projects, though, you are better served by the larger models. They are pricier and can be heavy though due to the battery packbut for edge routing and laminate trimming, few power tools can do the job on the spot as a cordless router can.

Like most battery-powered tools, running time is measured in Amp-hours Ah and usually cordless routers will require larger Ah batteries for optimum run time and performance. Mid-sized routers offer a good balance between control and power and often come in both one handed and two handed models, depending on the design of the base.

Unlike palm routers, which usually come in grip-style models, mid-sized routers can have a plunge base, a fixed base, or combo bases that let you do both. Also unlike palm routers, owning a mid-sized router considerably opens up your choices when it comes to the router bits that you can use.

Both weekend hobbyist dabbling in woodworking to serious pro shops will find a mid-sized router handy for almost any routing task — from trimming and edge finishing to dovetailing and profiling cut jobs. Dust collection features not only let you keep the shop tidy, but it will also keep you from inhaling fine dust and particles that can cause health problems later on.

Definitely make this a priority if you are planning to route a lot of plastic pieces or composite boards. A comfortable handle design is a must. Using a router right demands technique and some practice, so make sure you are getting a tool you will be comfortable handling.

Variable speed lets you adjust the speed of your router. Essential for using certain specialized bits, or for handling very hard wood or other materials. Soft start: instead of your router spinning at max RPM as soon as you hit the switch, soft start gradually wood router hand tool example up the motor to the preset speed.

This not only helps you keep the router steady as you start your pass, but it also prevents it from jerking out of your hands as well.

To get the most out of your router, investing in a router table makes a lot of sense if you will be doing extensive routing work. A router table will typically have your mid-sized or heavy-duty router installed upside down with the spindle sticking up — you move the piece against the rotating router bits instead of the other way around. The main advantage of having a router table is that you can add a large vertical fence that will be a big boost to your control.

Without a router table, you will have to spend time securing every piece in place before you can work your router over it. Most router manufacturers sell router tables designed for their models. If you are in a well-stocked workshop to start with, however, a router table will be a great project for you. Full-sized wood router hand tool example occupy a niche when it comes to this category of power tools.

They are expensive and are often too bulky to operate by hand. More often than not, full-sized routers are often used with a router table. Full-size routers run on motors in the 3 hp range or more. They are useful if you want to route with large diameter router cutters, especially if you will be pushing hardwood pieces against them. Electronic speed controls make the router compensate for the load to keep the bit spinning at a constant speed.

Very important for ensuring consistent cuts and finish. Electric brakes let you switch between cuts faster by cutting out the time waiting for the bit to stop spinning. There are three basic base styles, with more being introduced by manufacturers from time to time.

If you are using your router for mortises and fluting, having a wood router hand tool example base simple offers more flexibility when it comes to working depth. Palm routers and standard mid-sized routers usually come in fixed base or D-handle base variants. Combination kits get you the best of both worlds, by letting you switch between Wood Router Hand Tool 75 fixed and plunge bases with the same kit. Of course, if you will be buying a wood router for use with a router table, you can disregard this wood router hand tool example altogether and just pick the more affordable option.

With the popularity of wood routers, this corner of the power tools market is generally filled with quality models that provide similar features. Manufacturers differentiate their routers by handle designs and feature sets — pick the one that will be the most useful for your projects. Wood router motors wood router hand tool example rated in horsepower hpor sometimes by amperage A.

For the case of battery-operated palm routers, they wood router hand tool example come with voltage ratings, as well V. Battery life for cordless routers are measured in wood router hand tool example of Amperage hours Ah — the bigger the wood router hand tool example, the more capacity the battery has which contributes to a longer running time between charges.

Manufacturers will often highlight the efficiency of cordless routers by providing an estimate of routing length per Amp hour. A good cordless router, for example, can do 20 ft. Faster RPM generally leads to cleaner cuts and shapes and is better for bits that remove a smaller amount of material.

When removing larger amounts of material at once, a lower speed is usually more effective. Wood Router tool depth are mostly a function of the base design of the unit and are usually under 2 inches in depth for most fixed base and plunge base designs.

Plunge routers wood router hand tool example a little more depth variety than a fixed or stationary router does due to the "plunging action". Collet capacity dictates which bits a wood router can take.

Here is a helpful video below on two different routers stationary and plunge router and a brief explanation on how they work and some of the different router bits that can wood router hand tool example found. I have been in construction nearly my entire life and have a fascination with tools and love when they make my life easier.

Match that with my "research addiction" and you create something like this website! Save my name, email, and website in this browser Wood Router Hand Tool 3d for the next time I comment. Buying Guides. Palm Router. Cordless Trim Router. Compact Router Kit. Some brands are simply much better balanced than others, so try them with your own hands whenever possible. Fine depth adjustment dials put you in wood router hand tool example of your most intricate routing jobs, such as decorative inlays.

Brushless electric motors run quieter and helps wood router hand tool example battery power on cordless models, which is really essential for the spinning bits and wood router hand tool example more efficient.

Safety features like spindle locks and finger barriers are a must and usually included standard. Edge guides are very important for guiding your router along passes, especially off the table. Chuck wrenches supplied with the unit help you change chuck bits without having to use an extra tool.

Built-in LED lighting can illuminate your target area for better visibility. Chip deflectors shield your face from flying debris. DEPTH Wood Router tool depth are mostly a function of the base design of the unit and are usually under 2 inches in depth for most fixed base and plunge base designs.

About the author. Ryan I have been in construction nearly my entire life and have a fascination with tools and love when they make my life easier.

The original form of the wood router was first presented as a hand tool form, with a broad base and a narrow blade projecting well beyond its base plate. The today’s power wood router tool is a modern form of router with an electric motor driven spindle is the most using common form and the hand tool is called in that case router plane. May 04,  · Generally speaking, the type of wood router you use is not as important as the bits you use on that router. This is because a wood router’s bits hold the secret to creating vastly different cuts. For example, there are around Wood Router Hand Tool Question 10 common wood router bits that typically come standard with a .

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