Start with small cuts and get in some practice before moving on to more significant projects. How to Use a Router Table – 6 Common Uses

There are several benefits to using a router table compared with a hand-held router. These include: The base plate is what you use to attach your router to the table. It fits into a slot on the top of the table, and ideally, it should be perfectly flat. With a router table, there’s no such problem. You can work on any size workpiece. To improve your control even further, use a feather board. The table allows you to have both hands free to hold accessories or other parts while at the same time providing a sturdy base for placing your workpiece. Joinery Techniques For straight cutting bits, you adjust the fence from the front. Use a ruler across the bit’s center and rotate its cutting tip towards the fence. Adjust to ensure it’s the right distance away and then secure the fence. You have several options when it comes to the fence of your router table. It is the feature that keeps your workpiece in place when you’re cutting. To control the cut, you press your workpiece against the fence as it advances past the bit.Using a starter pin, you can safely rout the ends of a narrow workpiece and work with patterns, templates, and curved workpieces better. Setting up a Router Table: A Step-by-Step Guide Also, the fact that you can get the feather board closer to the router means greater accuracy. They’re useful for delicate jobs such as edge forming, rabbeting, and grooving.

The plate must be compatible with your router and fit rigidly and level to the table. Many tables have a leveling system. It allows you to make adjustments to ensure the plate is balanced and secure to help get a perfect fit. Practical extras might include a digital readout attachment, remote power switch, and other accessories. Benchtop You’ll use the fence as a guide for your router so setting this up correctly is crucial. It doesn’t have to be exactly parallel to anything because the bit is round. The most important thing is to set the fence at a correct distance away from it. Once you’ve done this the bit gets on with the rest. Once you’ve adjusted the fence, you should test your setup using scrap pieces of wood. Make sure you set everything up before you start working on your project. Edge trimming and pattern work are two of the most common uses. You can use your table to smoothly and expertly trim edges.Another joinery technique you can use your router for is planing. This is a crucial step when preparing wood for jointing. Planing is important because it removes imperfections and ensures edges are perfectly straight. Router Table as a Jointer