router basic question

[ilaboo]

very new to this very dangerous tool--have about 1/2 hour use with it and did 1000 hours of damage!!

I have to route out a 3/8" deep grove apx 4" by 18 "

problem I am having is after the first few inches the router is now only resting on 1/2 the platform and it rocks forward and does n asty things--i hve larned that you have tto set up guides with this thingh

is ther some sort of attachment that would fit on the base of the router that would act like a footing and is adjustible so i dont have to keep foolin with placing guides?

[Stoutman]

Two much safer options:

1) If this is NOT a stopped groove, meaning it goes from end of board to end of board, I would use a stacked dado cutter on the table saw. 2) Perform the rout in a router table.

You could make your own base that is large enough and screw it to the router.

[Leuf]

Simple way is to replace the router's sub base with a piece of ply that's big enough to span the hole. Use the sub base to mark the hole locations for the screws to attach it.

-Leuf

[John]

I'm a novice with the router but I have been learning from the forum (takes a long time to scan 100,000+ messages ;-) If your workspace has room for it, another piece of wood the same thickness as the piece being routed (long enough to be out of the way) makes a good support for the "other half" of the router. Usually only a couple of simple clamps are needed to keep the support piece in place.

John

[George]

Two solutions now given. Extend the size of the router base or extend the size of the piece itself. Third is like unto the second, but a great habit to get into. Make a plywood template for your cutout and use the collar for a follow. With a proper fence or fences and a clamp or two you're good to go. Hold on to the template through at least one shop cleaning and label carefully as to size of bit/collar/result.

[pumis]

Use a thick plexiglass as a base if you need to see the routed area.

A router table would also work if the piece is small enough.

Good luck

[ilaboo]

thanks to all of you for your help

i know know that you hve to take the time to clamp and set up guides--i hve a very heavy hand and was not taking time to do the obvious looking forward to my next router problem

[Prometheus]

The idea of making your own sub-base is a good one- you can use whatever you have on hand that is thin enough. just remove the exisiting base from your router, lay it on your plywood/hardboard/plexiglass/etc. and use that as a guide to mark where you need to drill your holes.

*However* that is not truly necessary. With a little practice, you should be able to route a good recess with half the base on the wood. Make sure as much of the base as possible is on the unrouted wood, and one of the handles is over the unrouted wood as well. Start in the center, and work out in a spiral pattern. Place a little downward pressure on the handle on the unrouted side and make sure that the handle over the recess is being guided only- you don't want any downward pressure on it at all. When you get to the edges, place another board of the same thickness next to one you're routing.

[Charley]

After you have removed as much material as you can without the router falling into the groove that you are making, cut a scrap of wood the same thickness as what you are removing and stick this piece to the free side of the bottom of your router with double sided tape. Now you have the support that you need and it will follow your moves across the rest of that wide groove. Of course, it is necessary to have a good router bit that makes a clean smooth flat bottomed cut for this to work properly. If you can't get a smooth bottom cut from your router bit, then you can't use this method and you need to make a temporary wide base for your router to bridge the 4" cut.

[jtpr]

I would clamp two boards on the piece so that moving the router back and forth between them covers the 4" width. Then just use a straight bit and run down the 18" length at maybe 1/4" per swipe.

-jtpr