What do you do with a router?

A router is a versatile machine with which you can make all kinds of decorative and functional finishes in wood. A few possibilities:

  • decorative profiles, slots and trims
  • rebates for windows and frames
  • cutouts for hinges
  • wood joints, such as dovetail joints or mortise and tenon joints
  • letters, logos and other shapes

How does a router work?

router bits in holder

You steer a router over a workpiece, and the fast-rotating cutter makes a notch in the desired shape and depth. This tool owes its versatility to the different router bits that you can mount. These can be divided into two groups: groove milling and chamfer milling. With groove cutters, you make slots in different shapes depending on the cutter used. You use chamfering cutters to apply a decorative profile or a connecting profile to the edge of the workpiece.

This is how you work with a router.

man mills circle with router

  • Clamp the material to be processed firmly in the workbench.
  • Torque the desired router bit and tighten it with the supplied tension wrenches.
  • Then place the machine on the workpiece, unlock the router mechanism until the router bit touches the surface and lock again.
  • Now set the milling depth as indicated in the user manual.
  • Start the machine and let it ramp up.
  • When you reach the speed you have set, push the machine onto the workpiece and move it over the profile you want to apply or the edge that has to be milled. The trick is not to mill too fast, but not too slow. Working too fast produces a sloppy end product, but the slower you mill, the hotter the wood gets, making the result less beautiful. If you’re milling deep slots, it’s better to cut them in two.
  • If you want to make a groove in the middle of a workpiece, place the machine in the starting place before turning it on. Then gradually lower the router into the material to the set cutting depth.
  • Use a rip fence to cut straight grooves and edges and a circle guide for perfect circles.

Working safely with a router

A router works with an unprotected and rapidly rotating blade, which entails safety risks for the user.

  • Check that the workpiece is clamped firmly and cannot shift while milling.
  • Protect yourself with safety glasses and a dust mask, and do not wear loose clothing or jewellery.
  • Always use sharp router bits and clean them after use. It is best to store the bits in a special bits holder to prevent them from becoming blunt.
  • Remember to remove the plug from the socket when you want to mount a new router bit. Check whether the bit is properly secured before switching on the machine.
  • Follow directions in the manual for maintenance.