Bought a Router

[Bushbaby]

Hi All,
Given that I wanted to build a cradle for working on radios, I bought myself (I must stop spending money!) a Bosch palm router model POF500A for £35 which appeared a good deal although I know very little about these and I've never used a router.

Are these easy to use? Any hints, tips or guidance would be most welcome as the cradle will be my next project.

Thanks

Rob

[Skywave]

I have a 'Red Devil' router: it doesn't get a lot of use and I will certainly read with interest what those who have the experience I lack have to say. All I will say for now is that I have found that it is very advisable to make several shallow cuts - increasing the depth of cut on each pass - rather than trying to get the required depth of cut in one pass. I've also found that you must learn to hold the router in a particular way, with both hands, so that the fence stays where you want it to and to not force the router through during the cutting: let it work at its speed. And finally, always make sure that the work-piece is very securely fixed - the last thing you want is the work-piece to move during the cutting.

All common sense really - I learnt the hard way, and doubtless with more to learn - as I usually do and need.

Al.

[Radio Fixer]

Well I use my router in a table, cutter upwards nearly all the time. The height of the cutter above the table is adjustable on the router. Its a home made table that clamps to a B & D workmate. It is easy to fix various guides to to it for doing edges and slots etc.

Not sure a Palm one will allow this... On mine I removed the original plate and fence, and fitted one into the screw holes, of my own design and manufacture.

So the work piece is offered to the cutter along guided paths. I think this way is much more accurate than attached fences. One major tip though is to think which way the cutter is rotating and apply the timber to it with the cutting edges of the teeth coming towards it.

Gary

[Yorkie]

As Gary says, one of the most important things is to keep in mind the way that the cutting edges of the bit are rotating against the wood. For example, if you wanted to cut a bead around the edge of a rectangular panel, if you were to start at the right hand bottom corner of the panel (that is the nearest to you, on your right), then you'd push the router away from you and continue around the panel in an anticlockwise direction, so down the left had side of the panel you'd be pulling the router towards you.

If on the other hand, you had a panel with a hole in it (say 6" square or round, or whatever shape), and wanted to cut a bead around that interior perimeter, you’d need to move the router around that hole in a clockwise direction to get it to cut properly. I guess the simplest analogy to give is that of a pencil sharpener - it will only cut in one direction, and that is according to the cutting edge of the blade being presented to the wood.

As I recall, the only aspect of the cradle you wish to make which calls for a router is to cut a slot in a piece of ply to enable the length of the cradle to be adjusted for different sizes of radios. If you want to cut a slot in a piece of timber wider than the base of the router, then rather than rely on the fence to guide the router, it may be worth temporarily attaching two pieces of scrap wood onto the board you wish to cut a slot into, either side of where the router base will move to cut the slot, so that the router can be guided accurately. On narrow widths of timber, you'll find it hard to keep the router perfectly upright unless you clamp pieces of wood the same thickness of the workpiece on either side of the workpiece so that it has a flat surface on which to glide.

You can of course just use the router with the fence, but if you do, make sure that you hold the fence firmly against the edge of the wood, or your slot will wander about especially at the start and finish of the cut. If you use a router on the edge of a panel you simply set the blade to the desired depth and lock the router to that depth. However, to cut a groove, as you wish to, you'll need to use the router in 'plunging mode'. You set the depth of cut but don't lock the router, so you can then use the handles to plunge the router to the required depth, and then move it along to cut the groove, allowing the router bit to retract at the end of the slot. (It's best to stop the router at the end of the slot than to retract the bit with it still rotating, as there's a chance you may move the router as the blade retracts, spoiling the slot).

The Bosch router you have is a lightweight one Rob and fine for small tasks such as routing out lettering for say a house nameplate, making little comb-jointed boxes, making slotted radio backs in MDF/hardboard with suitable jigs, or putting a bead on the edge of a thin panel, or flutes on a say chair leg (in a suitable jig). However, personally, I wouldn't use it to cut a slot to a depth of more than 1/4" in one pass, especially with a router bit of more than 6mm diam. Hence, if you wanted to cut a groove in 1/2" thick ply, you'd cut that groove in two passes. The router will soon protest if you try to push it beyond its capabilities.

Best to practice on a few pieces of scrap timber first, and watch a few videos of YouTube. Better still, there are also excellent DVDs on using routers, and making jigs and gadgets to make the router more versatile. Sooner or later, for most tasks, you'll need to either make jigs to guide the router, or use a router table of one sort or another.

Like all power tools such as planers, circular saws, bandsaws etc, routers pose serious safety hazards to the unwary or inept, but you are the last person to need a lecture of health and safety! Suffice to say that you should always make sure that the router has come to a complete standstill before you put it down or go near the bit.

A tad wordy, but I hope it helps you avoid common pitfalls as there's rather more to using a router than say an electric drill.

Good luck in your endeavours!

[Retired]

Hi,

Here's a couple of videos to get you started Rob. Spend time getting to know your router and practice is the way to go. Good luck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot6pfnDabAQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0zDxXOX8gw&feature=related

Kind regards, Col.

[Bushbaby]

Many thanks for your help one and all. I think that I shall be using this to make my cradle very soon.

Regards

Rob

[Yorkie]

You've put yourself on the spot now Rob!

We'll be expecting to see pics on the forum very soon, and a demo at Golborne on 18 Nov. That gives you the best part of two weeks in which to get it finished.

(Nice first project for a router).

[Bushbaby]

WOW! thanks!!!
I dont think that I will be able to (I know 'bottlejob') BUT I will give assurrance that my cradle will be completed by Christmas (this year) as its just too painful trying to work on a radio chassis without one.

Regards

Rob

[Joe]

I shows how we all differ as I've never felt the need of a cradle, in fact I've always considered that making a chassis even bulkier would make it harder to work on.

As ever, each to their own and good luck with it, Rob.

- Joe

[Mark Hennessy]

Ear protection!

Eye protection!

The rest is practice and patience. Take care :-)