Hi John
Tom's is right about the 40mm guide but it's hard to find one that can fit your router.
Tom and Harry have a great way to put in slots but one of the keys is to use a vac.pickup device on your router to lift the chips out of the slot..
Vac.pick up=You can buy one for your router or just make one easy.
With Tom's and Harry's way you don't need to use a brass/steel guide at all if you don't want to ...
It's a simple holding device and a pair of skis to hold and guide the router.
This simple jig setup will cost about 10.oo bucks for the hardware and some scrap wood from the shop and about hour or two of your time to make it and it can be used for many router jobs not just for putting in slots...
Note the next to last snapshot, try that on the router table or with the standard router without the ski jig,,,I have and it can be just a bit tricky but with the ski jig setup it's easy and SAFE to do that one..
That's 1/2" wide slot in 3/4" thick in MDF stock.
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Originally Posted by JDługosz To make a mortise 3/8" wide and 1" long, I used a 3/8" bit with a 1/2" OD collar. The template is a piece of MDF with a slot 1/2" wide so the template guide fits exact and just moves back and forth a little bit. Seems simple, right?
Well, although the template worked properly in the abstract sense, it was more work than it ought to be. I have to plunge just a hole, turn off the motor (wait for it to stop), clear out the chips, and repeat. It takes 4 or 5 such passes to route the whole thing.
Basically, there is no way for the chips to escape. The router plate has holes around the big hole in the middle, but the shape being evacuated is never exposed from the plate, because it is so small.
I've never seen this issue discussed in the books I've read and the TV I've watched. How do you make a template for a small pattern?
FWIW, I chose a template guide around the bit instead of fencing in the whole router base because it is easier to make something small precise, and making an elongated hole is easier than getting two fences exactly parallel and 8" apart.
--John |