Shaping with a Router - MetosExpo - Free

Methods of Work
Drill-press milling machine
Router bracket
attached to
drill-press column
This method grew out of my need to make some small, precise
wooden prototypes a few months back. First I purchased one of
those XIY milling vises and clamped it to my drill-press table.
Then I made a simple router bracket that locks onto my drillpress
column. The permanently attached bracket, which swings
out of the way for drilling, enables me to quickly and easily set
up for milling whenever I need to.
For the bracket, I chose phenolic for the baseplate because
of its flaU1ess and rigidity and 2-in.-thick hardwood for the
arms. I made the hardwood arms first and clamped them to
the column with threaded rod. Then I screwed the baseplate
to the anns.
To use the milling machine, I first make a crude height adjustment
between the vise and router by moving the drill-press table
up or down, and dlen I make precise adjustments with the
router itself. For quick router attachment and removal, I purchased
an exu'a router base that I keep screwed to dle jig.
-Micbael ]. McGinnis, Santa Rosa, Cal.
edited and drawn by Jim Richey
manent marking pens to help me remember which bit/edge I
am using. To make tile base, I cut the Lexan slightly oversize,
and then, after mounting the router and making test cuts, I ran
the base over a jointer to carefully trim each edge to the exact
offset needed.
-Derek Roff, Albuquerque, NM.
Router base for grooving in two passes
Recently, I needed to cut a large number of %-in. grooves across
several large pieces. Because I dislike using cutters larger dlall
Y2 in. in my small router and because I wanted to minimize dle
number of router-fence setups, I quickly designed alld cut dle
asymmetrical router-base plate shown in dle drawing.
The theory is quite simple. Simply valY the base's offset by the
amount you want to enlarge the groove. In my case, I wanted to
enlarge the Y2-in. groove to % in. So I cut the base 3 '12 in. from
the center of dle bit on one side alld 3% in. on the other, a
difference of Ys in.
To use the fixture, set a fence parallel to the line of cut,
make one pass with the first edge against tile fence, and then
make another pass with the second edge against the fence.
One setup, two passes, one odd-size cut.
-Allen Trivino, Rocbester, NY
Quick tip: Measuring tablesaw-blade height for a dado or
groove cut can be a problem, especially if the blade insert is
not exactly level with the tabletop. Instead, mark the desired
height on the face of a scrap board that is longer than the
insert, and clalllP the board to the fence flush on the table
with the mark centered over dle blade opening. Lower dle
blade and pOSition the fence so dlat when the blade is raised,
it will skim the face of the scrap. Turn on the saw and raise the
blade until it just touches the line.
-Dal'io Biagiarelli, Kirkville, NY
Improved radial-arm saw miters
EDITOR'S NOTE: The following two methods describe ways to use an asymmeu'ical
router base to solve different setup problems.
Asymmetrical router base simplifies setups
RoWs router base
. .' < t ;eters 1/.2. .
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Trivino's router base
f '
Offset for cutti ng %-in.-wide groove
with 'h-in.-dia. bit
.. ' " . ' " ..... .
This edge for - '.
first pass
.. : _ . .'
®- .- .
3'12 --
3%.
I used to get frustrated with the inordinate amount of time it
took to set up my router for even the simplest cuts. The main
problem was that the distance from dle edge of the router base
to the bit was always some weird dimension like 2'%2 in. So
recendy, while making some new custom router bases out of
Lexan, I got an idea. I cut the rectangular base so that each edge
of dle router base will be exactly 3 in. from the edge of one of
my standard bits. For example, if I am using a k in. bit, the edge
marked Y4 in. will be exactly 3 in. from dle edge of dle bit. I also
made one edge 3 in. from dle center of the bit, which is frequently
useful (see the drawing, above left). In addition to writing
dle bit size on each edge, I color-coded the edges witil per-
"
In "Medl0ds of Work," FWW #86, Steven Springston describes
a method of sawing picture-frame miters using complementary
angles. Although Mr. Springston's method will produce a
perfect 90° angle, if the saw's 45° setting is off much, the technique
may produce miters with faces that don't match. This
problem can be especially troublesome on highly detailed
moldings. By contrast, my method, illustrated above, uses the
actual cut line of the blade for its registration and avoids the
mismatch problem.
Ciall1P all auxilialY table on the main sawtable, alld cut a 'Is·in.­
deep sawkerf into tile table. Into ti1is kerf insert a 'I4 -in.-wide strip
of '/s-in.-dlick hardboard to act as a temporary setup fence. Place
a 45° drafting U'iallgle against tile fence, alld use it to set dle
position of the left-side fence. Screw the fence to the table so it
overlaps the kerf a bit; it will be trimmed later. Flip the triangle
to the opposite side of dle hardboard, and repeat the procedure
described for tile right-Side fe nce, as shown in the drawing.
14 Fine Woodworking