Popular Woodworking 2002-10 № 130, страница 95
decide whether you're taking too big a cut in one pass. While most small profiles can be cut in one pass, large roundovers and many cove cuts, grooves, rabbets or dados would be better made in one or two passes with increasing depths. As a rule, cutting any more than V4" is better done in multiple passes. OK, the router is set correctly and you know which way you're going. To be safe, set the router in place on the wood before turning it on. Also, make sure that the bit isn't resting against the wood. Otherwise, when you turn the motor on, the bit can kick the router away from the work. If you're routing a smaller piece, it should be clamped to a bench to keep it from moving during routing. With the router running, slowly move the router bit into the cut, then begin moving the router along the piece. Two important comments here: Starting at the edge of a piece takes some practice. Knowing where the corner is without getting a face full of shavings is a learned skill, so the first few times you should start in from the corner and slowly climb-cut to the corner. Also, how fast you move the router is important. Move too fast and the cut will be poor, with chatter and ripple marks. A second pass usually fixes the problem. If you move too slowly, the bit can burn the wood's edge, and then you're in for a lot of sanding. About three-seconds-a-foot is a safe speed. Gauge your speed by the sound of the motor. When the sound shifts from a high-pitched wine to a lower one as For most routing operation, counterclockwise is the correct direction. As shown here, that is with the bit on the outside of the box, following the arrows around the box. If this were a solid door or panel, instead of a drawer, the motion would still be the same - counterclockwise. For an interior cut, whether on a drawer edge, or on the inside of a door frame, the router direction is reversed to clockwise.The operation we're showing here is a good challenge of router control. It requires carefully balancing the router base on the edge. If not for illustrating router direction, it would probably be easier to make this cut with the router in a router table. the bit goes into the cut, you've found the right speed. Always wear eye and ear protection when using a router, and a dust mask is a good idea, too (especially if your router isn't hooked to a shop vacuum). If you want more instruction on using routers, we recommend you check out Patrick Spielman's "The New Router Handbook, (Sterling Publications). We've also included an article on page 14 with a simple system of shop-made jigs that will add lots of benefits to your router, including cutting circles, grooves and dados. PW PW Recommends OCCASIONAL USER • Two-base Kits. Four manufacturers now offer kits with a plunge and fixed base. These are great versatile first (or next) routers. • Bosch 1617EVSPK $240 • DeWalt DW618PK $250 • Makita RF1101KIT $290 • Porter-Cable 693VSPK $250 SERIOUS HOME WOODWORKER • Milwaukee 5615-20. For $145, this fixed-base,single-speed router offers good power, good ergonomics and easy router-table operation. • Makita RD1101. This 11-amp, variable-speed D-handled router offers quiet, powerful performance and easy height adjustment ($230). • DeWalt DW621. This is still our shop-favorite plunge router. For $200 it offers excellent dust collection and very good depth controls. ADVANCED WOODWORKER OR PROFESSIONAL If you're looking for a beefy plunge router to use in a router table, or heavy-use situations, one of the following three will fit the bill nicely. • Hitachi M12V. At $200, this large plunge is very popular in shops. • Fein RT1800. Priced higher than the Hitachi ($290), but it's got a lot of power and it's built to last. • Porter-Cable 7539. Used in cabinet shops for decades, this monster plunge is a deal at $370. If you've got all the routers you'll ever need, or have a special application, trim routers fill a luxury niche. • Bosch 1609 AKX. At $250, in our opinion this router is the best of the trim router kits, with four bases to offer lots of options. These tools have been tested or used by the editors of Popular Woodworking and have earned their recommendation. 99 |
